This has been a disastrous season for the Los Angeles Lakers. There's no other way around it. When you have LeBron James on your team, anything other than a Finals appearance is a failure. Failing to make the playoffs? That's basically akin to catastrophe for any LeBron team.

In LeBron's tenure in LA, the Lakers have missed the playoffs once already. After a streak of eight consecutive Finals appearances, LeBron may possibly miss the playoffs twice in the last four years. That leads Kendrick Perkins, a former player turned analyst, to urge the team to shut down LeBron James for the season.

“At some point the Lakers might need to consider shutting Bron down! It’s no more hope for them… no need putting more miles on the old man who’s going to be in his 20th season next year. He’s given everything and more. On top of all that he’s playing on a hurt knee! Real Talk.”

For all the talk of LeBron being a bionic Iron Man who is near-invincible, he's suffered several injuries in the last few years. His first year with the Lakers was ruined by a groin injury that kept him out for the latter half of the season. This year, nagging injuries have limited LeBron's availability.

Perhaps Father Time has finally caught up to LeBron. Eight straight Finals appearances will take a definite toll on anyone's body. It was only a matter of time before injuries would get to the King. It's far too early in the season to go with this, but if the possibility of not making the playoffs becomes more real, expect the Lakers to shut him down and let him prepare for the next season.