After a shocking four-game sweep in the Western Conference Finals, LeBron James’ time in the NBA might be up. The 38-year-old is considering retirement and will take some time to think about it in the offseason. During the postgame presser, LeBron made closing remarks saying “Going forward with the game of basketball, I’ve got a lot to think about.” He stated he wants to play for championships at this point in his career and is unsatisfied with anything less than that.
LeBron went through a lot in the past couple of seasons. The constant turnover ever since their finals run in the bubble has made the team worse. Trading key role players such as Kyle Kuzma and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope took away their spacing and the ability to shoot threes. Getting Russell Westbrook in return double down on those issues. Also letting veterans Alex Caruso and Javale McGee walk in free agency was also a mistake as they were a big part of the team’s leadership in the locker room. Not to mention firing Frank Vogel forced them to refocus the team’s philosophy and chemistry.
It wasn’t until the trade deadline that helped acquire the much-needed depth off the bench. D’Angelo Russell, Rui Hachimura, Jared Vanderbilt, and the emergence of Austin Reaves kept the Lakers’ season alive while LeBron recovered from a tendon injury in his right foot. It’s truly remarkable that he returned and played at a decent level considering his age and the severity of his injury. But he was never the same player as when the season started. It’s no secret that his and Anthony Davis’ poor durability are glaring issues for several seasons, which is understandable why we would think about finally walking away from the game.
LeBron has voiced that his goal was to play with his son Bronny who is eligible for the 2024 NBA Draft before the end of his career. Lebron has retracted that statement saying “Just because that’s my aspiration or my goal, doesn’t mean I’m absolutely ok with that”. He’d joined Carmelo Anthony as the final two players from the 2004 class to retire. Only time will tell if the King will run it back for one more season.
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