LeBron James remains a superstar, but his legendary career is clearly approaching its conclusion. He recently finished his 22nd NBA season after the Los Angeles Lakers were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the Minnesota Timberwolves. Only he and Vince Carter have played this many seasons in league history. Should James decide to return, he would become the first player ever to complete 23 years in the NBA.
However, his return is not guaranteed. When questioned about his playing future on Wednesday, James was non-committal. He stated, “I don`t have an answer to that right now. I need to discuss it with my wife, family, and support system, and also reflect internally on how much longer I wish to play. We`ll see.”
This uncertain position is one James has maintained for several years. For example, after being swept by the Denver Nuggets in the 2023 Western Conference finals, he offered a remarkably similar statement: “I have a lot to consider,” he said, regarding his personal future in the game of basketball.
Naturally, James—who holds a player option exceeding $52 million for the 2025-26 season—did come back for the 2023-24 campaign. Yet, his retirement is eventually, inevitably coming. The current question is what significant goals he still aims to achieve in the league.
This past season, James fulfilled a long-held ambition by playing on the same team as his son, Bronny James, whom the Lakers selected 55th overall last June. His younger son, Bryce, is set to begin his freshman year at the University of Arizona and will be eligible for the 2026 NBA Draft. To potentially play alongside Bryce, James would need to remain in the league for the upcoming season and the one following it.
Should James aim for a fifth championship, the hope is that the Lakers can provide the support necessary next season. The midseason addition of Luka Dončić was intended not just to improve the team but also to slightly lessen James`s ball-handling duties, potentially preserving his energy throughout a demanding season. Austin Reaves`s development serves a similar purpose. The Lakers possess tradeable draft assets and, if James were to potentially take a slightly lower salary, they could be active in free agency using the mid-level exception. As James saw in 2019, a single productive offseason can enable the Lakers to assemble a championship-contending roster.
However, after 22 seasons, there are few significant milestones remaining for him to achieve. Playing 50 games next season would allow him to surpass Robert Parish`s record for most regular-season games played. He already holds the all-time scoring record and numerous other statistical benchmarks. A four-time MVP and four-time champion, he could have retired years ago with a strong claim as the greatest basketball player ever. Eventually, he will determine he has played enough, and that point draws nearer each year. For the moment, the Lakers can only hope the recent playoff exit wasn`t the final game of his career.
Jasper Hawthorne