LeBron James` physical presence in the Los Angeles Lakers` locker room an hour before their preseason opener was minimal, marked only by his gold No. 23 uniform and a triangular foam cushion on his seat. At 40 years old, born in 1984, James stands out significantly among the majority of players, many of whom were born in the 1990s and 2000s. He sat out the exhibition game due to nerve irritation in his glute, as explained by Lakers coach JJ Redick.
Later, as James emerged wearing a “Forever King” T-shirt, a reporter inquired about his readiness for an unprecedented 23rd season. Before James could respond, teammate Austin Reaves interjected, suggesting he had “another five seasons in you.” The reporter pressed further, asking, “Why not six or seven, get to 30?” Reaves enthusiastically added, “Yeah, set a record!” James, with a smirk, turned to Reaves and stated, “I already set a record.”
Indeed, out of roughly 5,000 players in NBA history, James is the only one to have played for 23 seasons. His extensive list of records also includes being the all-time leading scorer in regular-season points (42,184), holding the most postseason points (8,289), making the most All-Star games (21), and being part of the first active father-son duo to share an NBA court with Bronny James last fall.
His impressive accomplishments — including four MVPs, four championships, and four Finals MVPs — are well-documented. However, as James embarks on what can be seen as the “fourth quarter” of his career with the Lakers, the central question is whether his time is truly winding down or if he will push it into “overtime.”
Entering his eighth consecutive season with the Lakers, his longest tenure with any franchise, James is playing on an expiring contract for the first time. He opted into his $52.6 million option for the 2025-26 season in June without seeking an extension. At the Lakers` annual media day, the first question directed at James was about his retirement plans.
“I don`t know,” replied James, who earned second-team All-NBA honors in his 22nd season. “I`m excited about the opportunity to play the game that I love for another season. And however the journey lays out this year, I`m just super invested. Because, like you said, I don`t know when the end is, but I know it`s a lot sooner than later.”
The Lakers, who will be without James for three to four weeks due to sciatica in his right side, are coming off a season where they acquired 26-year-old superstar Luka Doncic and secured the No. 3 seed in a highly competitive Western Conference, only to lose to the No. 6-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves in five games. Following James` decision to opt into his contract, his agent, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, issued a statement suggesting James` future might lie elsewhere:
“LeBron wants to compete for a championship,” Paul told ESPN. “He knows the Lakers are building for the future. He understands that, but he values a realistic chance of winning it all. … We understand the difficulty in winning now while preparing for the future. We do want to evaluate what`s best for LeBron at this stage in his life and career.”
After maintaining full control over his career for 22 years, what`s “best” and what`s “realistic” for James could now diverge. Here are the four potential ways this unprecedented season could unfold for James and the Lakers.
1. Play out the 2025-26 season and retire as a Laker afterward
LeBron James` tenure with the Lakers has been marked by a significant increase in injuries, causing him to miss 124 games in seven seasons compared to just 71 in his first 15 NBA years. The franchise has also seen four head coaches come and go, and the front office has had mixed results with its trades and signings. Despite these challenges, there has been considerable success. The Lakers secured a championship in 2020, making James the first player to earn Finals MVP with three different teams. In 2023, the franchise celebrated his historic achievement of surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the NBA`s all-time leading scorer. The 2024 draft also saw the Lakers select Bronny James with the No. 55 pick, fulfilling James` stated desire to “be on the floor with my boy.”
Even when the Golden State Warriors inquired about a trade for James a few months before the 2024 draft, the Lakers, via Paul, declined. James subsequently reaffirmed his commitment, stating, “I am a Laker, and I`m happy and [have] been very happy being a Laker the last six years and hopefully it stays that way.” Lakers president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka reiterated the franchise`s stance at their annual season-opening news conference: “We would love if LeBron`s story would be, he retired a Laker. That would be a positive story.”
While sources close to James indicate that the exact conclusion of his career remains unknown, his desire to play on the strongest possible Lakers team this season could be influenced if he feels he still has more basketball left in him. The Lakers possess tradable assets, including their 2031 or 2032 first-round pick and the right to swap firsts in five seasons. However, they might hesitate to use these valuable assets to invest heavily in a team built around Doncic and James if James is on the verge of retirement.
For those searching for clues about his future, several signs have emerged. A recent Nike “Forever King” ad narrates James` career in the past tense, saying, “They called him the Chosen One… We were all witnesses.” This season`s Cleveland Cavaliers` “Classic Edition” uniform is identical to the one James wore as a rookie in 2003-04. The NBA schedule makers arranged for the Lakers` first home game and last road game of the season to both be against Stephen Curry and the Warriors, potentially a fitting send-off for two era-defining players if this is indeed James` final campaign. Furthermore, after media day, James posted an Instagram compilation of the day`s moments set to Lenny Kravitz`s “It Ain`t Over `Til It`s Over,” a song choice that could subtly hint at an impending end.
2. Play out the 2025-26 season and re-up with the Lakers on a new deal
Pelinka`s media day response about James retiring a Laker was particularly telling because it indirectly addressed a different question: whether the Lakers would be interested in re-signing James in the summer of 2026. The Lakers are projected to have approximately $50 million in cap space, a sum that James could fully command if he were to seek a new maximum contract. According to ESPN NBA front office insider Bobby Marks, James would be eligible to sign a deal for up to three years and $188 million, with a starting salary of $58.1 million for the 2026-27 season.
While James has defied conventional age curves, extending his prime far beyond typical expectations, a natural question arises regarding how his timeline aligns with the team`s two other top players, both in their mid-20s. Sources close to the team indicate that both Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves enjoy playing with James and wish for their partnership to continue. Both players, out of respect for James` process, have not inquired about his retirement plans.
Doncic, who idolized James during his youth, values their collaboration and believes James is crucial for the Lakers` immediate championship aspirations. He is also unfazed by any potential “spectacle” or “circus” that might accompany playing with James as he nears the end of his career, having already experienced an aging legend`s farewell tour during Dirk Nowitzki`s final season with the Dallas Mavericks, which coincided with Doncic`s rookie year. Sources said Doncic found that time with Nowitzki to be invaluable. Moreover, if the Lakers were to win a championship this season, bringing James` career total to five, would he view that as a perfect ending, or would he be motivated to return and try to tie Michael Jordan`s six titles?
3. Start the 2025-26 season with the Lakers and request a trade or buyout in January or February
Rich Paul`s statement to ESPN in June firmly established James` ultimate priority as his career winds down: to win. This implies that if the Lakers find themselves struggling — whether due to injuries, incompatible roster fits, or simply not being strong enough to compete in the highly contested Western Conference — James could opt to depart. Given that James possesses a no-trade clause in his contract, any potential deal would require his explicit approval.
The challenge, however, is the scarcity of viable destinations. A potential return to Cleveland, which would mark a second and possibly final homecoming, would necessitate sending out nearly $90 million in salaries to make a trade financially feasible, according to Marks. Such a deal would likely involve multiple teams, as the Cavaliers are restricted from exceeding the second apron in a trade for James. Due to these apron limitations, the Cavaliers would also be prevented from signing James off the waiver wire if he were to reach a buyout agreement with Los Angeles. Similarly, the Warriors and New York Knicks would be ineligible to sign James in such a scenario.
Then there are the Mavericks. James has won championships alongside both Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving, and he maintains close relationships with coach Jason Kidd and several members of Kidd`s staff. Yet, the Mavericks, too, would face the daunting task of sending out an exorbitant amount of money to facilitate a trade. Dallas is also currently a second-apron team and would need to shed $12 million in salary without taking any back to become a potential buyout destination for James.
4. Play out the 2025-26 season with the Lakers and sign elsewhere as a free agent
In the summer of 2026, approximately ten teams are projected to have significant cap space, including the Brooklyn Nets, LA Clippers, and Chicago Bulls, potentially creating unforeseen opportunities for James. However, a departure from Southern California would represent a major life change, given that his wife Savannah and daughter Zhuri reside there, his son Bronny is under contract with the Lakers, and his son Bryce is a short flight away at the University of Arizona.
Moreover, James would enter a free-agent pool that could include other prominent stars such as Kevin Durant, Trae Young, and James Harden, in addition to impact players like Austin Reaves, Draymond Green, Bradley Beal, Norman Powell, and Coby White. This competitive landscape means that boundless interest from around the league might not be a given.
Thus, James` situation remains undecided. It is yet to be determined whether his 23rd season will mark a countdown toward the conclusion of his illustrious career or merely serve as a bridge to a 24th season, or even beyond. Ultimately, his body may be the deciding factor. As a source close to James told ESPN, “Everyone is trying to dictate when he`s done and the reality is nobody actually knows.” For his part, James states he is not concerned with the future for now. “Not worried about yesterday and not trying to focus on what the future holds,” he told ESPN. “It`s about staying present. … Because like I said, I don`t know when the end is, but I know it is not as long [away as] `The Godfather 2.` So I know I got to stay present.”
Rupert Hollis