NBA Click & Roll: Should LeBron James shut it down for the rest of the season?

Welcome to Paste BN Sports' NBA Click & Roll newsletter.

This is where we bring you exclusive content from the Paste BN NBA staff. Plus, we catch you up on the *biggest* moments, quotes and NBA news you may have missed this week. 

SHOULD LEBRON SIT?

In our weekly NBA roundtable, which will be published on Thursday morning, Paste BN Sports' Jeff Zillgitt, Martin Rogers, AJ Neuharth-Keusch and Matt Eppers debate a burning question. This week: Should LeBron James shut it down for the rest of the season?

Zillgitt: No. I understand James has many miles on him, and resting his body is important. But it’s not likely he makes the playoffs, so he'll get two months off (mid-April to mid-June) that he normally plays. Plus, not to be a stickler, but there are NBA rules for resting healthy players – see New Orleans and Anthony Davis – and commissioner Adam Silver has the power to fine teams. So as long as James is healthy, expect him in the lineup most nights. Now, if it's the final two weeks of the season and the Lakers have been mathematically eliminated from the playoffs, James might sit. But with five weeks remaining, it’s too early.

Rogers: Not if he wants anything to be different next season. I understand the logic in giving James extra rest and thereby offering his body a head start on rival players who go deep into the postseason. But for a guy who is, justified or otherwise, battling the perception that he has been a poor and unengaged leader for these young Lakers, it would send a horrible message. Even if another star joins the Lakers as a free agent this summer, the inexperienced core still needs to perform more effectively if it wants to contend for a championship. The biggest issue for the likes of Brandon Ingram and Kyle Kuzma isn’t how to play better, it's how to play better with James. The time to start working on that more purposefully is now, even with the playoffs likely out of reach.

Neuharth-Keusch: As far as his body is concerned, yes he should. As for the optics?Not a chance. The Lakers have a lot to prove over these final 18 games — both to themselves and to potential free agents. Laker Land isn't exactly the hottest destination in the league right now, and James sitting would only add fuel to the dumpster fire that has been the Lakers' 2018-19 campaign. If free-agency started today and you're Kawhi Leonard, Kemba Walker, Kyrie Irving, Klay Thompson or any other big-name player set to hit the market, is this really the team you want to join? James getting rest is important, but not as important as doing everything in his power to salvage this lost season. And that starts on the court. 

Eppers: There is perhaps some strategic sense to James sitting. It would mean fewer games of wear and tear on his body, and the Lakers would likely increase their odds of landing a higher pick in the draft lottery, thus potentially giving themselves a better asset to use in their pursuit of Davis. But it would be a terrible look for James and the team. Fairly or not, James has faced questions about his attitude and leadership all season. Shutting it down now with over a month left – even in what increasingly appears to be a lost season – would essentially be a public admission of giving up. Missing the playoffs will be a massive failure for the Lakers. They will face enough questions about their on-court play. As the face of the team, James can’t compound that humiliation by sitting out the final stretch and opening himself up to even more scrutiny.

CATCH UP AROUND THE LEAGUE

— Kyrie Irving, star of the movie "Uncle Drew," says he didn't start playing basketball to "be a celebrity" and have cameras in his face. Jalen Rose's response? "It ain't that hard."

— Mark Cuban has no business running for president of the United States, writes our Nancy Armour.

— Snoop Dogg is FED UP with the Lakers. 

— Is this LeBron's worst season ever?

— Round of applause for Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who raised almost $3 million for his foundation by auctioning off 234 pieces of memorabilia from his legendary career, including four of his championship rings.

— Another round of applause for Dwyane Wade, who swapped jerseys with Hawks rookie Kevin Huerter, who grew up idolizing Wade and wears No. 3 because of him.

— One final round of applause for Donovan Mitchell, who gave an autographed shoe to a 102-year-old Jazz superfan — and she loved it.

— What's with all these sub-.500 teams in the playoff race? The postseason should be for winners, not losers, writes Rogers.

— A couple of years ago, Suns owner Robert Sarver reportedly put goats in then-general manager Ryan McDonough’s office as inspiration. The goats proceeded to poop everywhere.

Check back next week for everything that went down in the Association.