Skip to main content

NBA Insiders Question If LeBron James 'Knows Where He's At' on Retirement Timeline


ESPN's Dave McMenamin is not convinced Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James knows yet whether the 2025-26 season will be his last in the NBA.

"I've spoken to countless people close to LeBron over the summer... And most of them are telling me I think we're pretty close to the end, but I don't know if LeBron knows where he's at," McMenamin said at the 6:30 mark of Friday's episode of NBA Today. "Does he know that this is, from Day 1, going to be the last year? Will he start to feel it? Will he start to feel otherwise, and say, 'This is a really good Lakers team, and maybe we can do something special and extend it.'

"One person close to him told me at one point: if the Lakers win, is he going to walk away from the chance to defend it, and get six rings versus five?"

McMenamin's comments come the day after James said on a Thursday episode of Complex's 360 With Speedy that he is "definitely gearing up to where the end is."

"I'm not there yet... retirement is coming. It is coming. It's just not here, just yet," James said Thursday.

James is currently set to play the 2025-26 season on an expiring contract after picking up his $52.6 million player option with the Lakers.

The Lakers have since signaled their plans to build around Luka Dončić in the long term by signing him to a three-year, $165 million max extension in August.

When James picked up the option in June, his agent Rich Paul told ESPN's Shams Charania his client "wants to compete for a championship" and "wants to make every season he has left count."

Whether the Lakers are able to build a championship-caliber team around Dončić this season could ultimately play a role in which direction James decides to take with his NBA career.

James, who will turn 41 in December, is set to break the NBA's all-time record by returning for a 23rd season this fall. The ramp-up to his eighth season with the Lakers will begin when training camp opens on Sept. 29.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Breaking Down the Differences Between LeBron James and Kevin Durant - Bleacher Report

LeBron James and Kevin Durant are being coined as "the future of the NBA 's next generation." That is certainly true, but they aren't exactly on the same level. LeBron and Durant are two different players, who bring varying skills to different facets of the game. Instead of just comparing them in a "who's the best" fashion, let's take a minute and break down which player excels in each and every facet of the game of basketball. Ahead is a breakdown of the differences that exist between LeBron and Durant.  Scoring Ronald Martinez/Getty Images LeBron 2011-12 Per-Game Stats: 27.1 points, 53.1 FG%, 36.3 3P%, 77.1 FT% Durant 2011-12 Per-Game Stats: 28.0 points, 49.6 FG%, 38.7 3P%, 86.0 FT% Scoring is what Kevin Durant does. It's not only his specialty, it's also what makes him such a dangerous and elite player. With that being said, LeBron isn't exactly a slouch on the offensive side of the...
Post a Comment
Read more

NBA Monday Morning Shootaround: LeBron James, The Hunger Games, and More - Bleacher Report

Welcome to the "Monday Morning Shootaround," Bleacher Report's recap of the weekend that was in the NBA. Along with getting you caught up on the weekend’s playoff action, we’ll give you a sneak preview of what could potentially be the greatest basketball book of all time, show you the best 70-year-old playground superstar ever, and tell you about a young star that just might choose religion over the fame and fortune of the NBA. The Opening Tip * ABC cameras caught LeBron James reading The Hunger Games before the Miami Heat played the Indiana Pacers on Sunday. Shortly thereafter, the Miami Heat small forward proceeded to go into full Katniss Everdeen mode to the tune of 40 points, 18 rebounds and nine assists as the Heat pulled out a hard-fought 101-93 victory. After a slow start, Heat guard Dwyane Wade finished with 30 points, nine rebounds and six assists of his own. But Sunday afternoon was all about James and his gaudy numbers, virtually all of which we...
Post a Comment
Read more

LeBron James' 12 Hall of Fame teammates

LeBron James is one of the best to ever play in the NBA. He has set multiple records and accomplished a handful of milestones, capped off by the NBA All-Time scoring record , four NBA championships, four Finals MVPs, four NBA MVPs, one NBA Cup title, and one NBA Cup MVP. Throughout his career, he's played with five players that are in the Basketball Hall of Fame and seven others that will likely join James in the Hall. Here is a look at LeBron James' 12 Hall of Fame teammates. Check out the gallery. Dwyane Wade Russ Isabella-Imagn Images Hall of Fame status: Inducted in 2023 Dwyane Wade has arguably got to be James' best teammate throughout his career. With Wade in his corner, they both led the Miami Heat to back-to-back NBA championships in four consecutive Finals appearances. Having these two on the same team was a nightmare to stop, especially in transition. They went together like peanut butter and jelly. Chris Bosh Jerome Miron-Imagn Images Hall of ...
Post a Comment
Read more