As has become ritual in recent years, LeBron James will enter the offseason with question marks hanging over his future in the NBA.
The Los Angeles Lakers were eliminated from the postseason on Wednesday after losing to the Minnesota Timberwolves in five games.
James has just completed his age-40 season. However, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the expectation around the NBA is that James will return for his age-41 campaign.
“There’s no expectation for LeBron James to retire,” Charania said during an appearance on the Pat McAfee Show. “My understanding is that he will play at least another NBA season…He’d be 41 years old in December. The expectation is that he’s going to be playing at least another season.”
Despite his advancing age, James remains one of the most talented players in the NBA. His production this season was among the best in the league. In 70 games, he averaged 24.4 points, 7.8 rebounds and 8.2 assists. He shot 51.3% from the field and 37.6% from deep.
Given his career trajectory, James will likely retire from the NBA while still being a top-20 or top-30 player in the league, regardless of his age. His body has shown limited signs of slowing down over the past three or four years. His basketball IQ allows him to be highly impactful while still conserving energy.
However, while James may remain in the NBA, there’s no guarantee he will be with the Lakers. The veteran superstar has a player option for next season. The addition of Luka Doncic could mean that James looks to end his career elsewhere in the league.
Whatever James decides to do, he will undoubtedly have a plethora of options at his disposal. However, for NBA fans, this summer should be another reminder that James’ tenure in the league is running on fumes. It won’t be long before he moves onto new ventures, and his NBA career is consigned to memory.
It may not seem like it right now, but that will be a sad day for basketball fans around the globe, and a major hit to the league itself.
