After finishing Year 21, Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James will go into the offseason with an important decision to make regarding his playing future.
Reports began to to surface that James would opt out of his player option for the 2024-25 season and re-sign with the Lakers, but the King pushed back and said that he hasn’t decided what he’ll do yet. It’s hard to imagine that James would retire from basketball, so the most likely route is he stays in Los Angeles or seeks another team to play for.
What James is doing at his age is unprecedented because there has been no player in league history aside from maybe fellow Laker legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar who has been this effective so late into their career. During the 2023-24 season, James averaged a robust 25.7 points, 7.3 rebounds and 8.3 assists in 71 games but turned it up even more in the first round against the Denver Nuggets by averaging 27.8 points, 6.8 rebounds and 8.8 assists.
It’s anyone’s guess how long James will continue to play in the NBA, but his agent Rich Paul of Klutch Sports believes he’ll play another two to three years, even if his body will allow him to play more, via the “All The Smoke” podcast:
“I think body wise, five (years),” Paul said. “Mind wise, understanding how to play the game mind wise, forever. But mind wise as is pertains to frustration and/or just like man, I’ve had enough, missing time with his family and his wife, because they’re been unbelievable. They’re been an unbelievable support system. At some point, it’s got to be about them. And I think from that perspective, maybe 2-3 (years).”
James is arguably the best in the league at taking care of his body and keeping his mind fresh for the rigors of the regular season, so it’s easy to envision him playing at this level for at least a couple more years. He’s almost single-handedly changed the discourse on how long a player can be productive for and serves as the gold standard for younger professional athletes looking to have long careers.
The biggest question is what James will do this offseason, but the early signs point to him coming back to Los Angeles for at least another year.
LeBron James reflects on losing to Nuggets in 2024 NBA Playoffs
Unfortunately for James, the last two playoff exits have come at the hands of the Denver Nuggets, who could establish themselves as a dynasty if they happen to win another title. James reflected on the series against Denver and tipped his cap to them.
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Los Angeles Lakers(96) - Minnesota Timberwolves(103)