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LeBron James’ Retirement Decision Receives New Update


LeBron James' Retirement Decision Receives New Update originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

After the Los Angeles Lakers were eliminated from the playoffs in April, the biggest talking point heading into the offseason was reshaping the roster and acquiring a center to improve their championship hopes. However, no storyline has generated more buzz than LeBron James' future and the possibility of him playing his final season with the Lakers.

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James opted into his $52.6 million player option for the 2025-26 season but did not sign an extension with the Lakers—a move many interpreted as a sign that his time in Los Angeles may be winding down. Though rumors initially linked him to potential trades, recent chatter has focused more on whether James may be considering retirement next summer.

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23)Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

The talks of James playing just one more year before he draws the curtain gained traction when ESPN's Dave McMenamin reported that there have been no extension or trade talks between James and the Lakers, suggesting that James could be preparing for his last year in the league.

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On Friday, Cleveland.com's Chris Fedor added more insight to the possibility of James concluding his career after Year 23:

"The one thing that I will say is that he is going — I believe, based on everything that I know about LeBron and all the conversations that I've had with people in his orbit, his general orbit — I believe that LeBron is going to make it known that he is going to retire before he retires," Fedor said. "It's not going to be a situation where he plays out the final year, and then in the offseason, he just retires."

He added, "The sense that I get is LeBron wants it all. He wants the farewell tour. He wants all of these different franchises reliving all of his moments against them. He wants all of the glitz and the glam that comes with one of the gr eatest players, if not the greatest player of all time, calling it quits, eventually."

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Should that be the case for James, it would align with how other legends ended their NBA careers. The late Kobe Bryant, for example, announced his retirement few weeks into his final season and was honored by fans and franchises league-wide throughout the year.

After more than two decades, it's safe to say that James has undoubtedly earned a similar sendoff—if and when he chooses to hang it up.

Related: NBA World Bracing for LeBron James Retirement Announcement

Related: Potential LeBron James to Warriors, Jimmy Butler to Lakers Trade Has $57 Million Issue

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 18, 2025, where it first appeared.

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