After getting eliminated in the first round of the second straight season, 21-time All-Star Lakers forward LeBron James was noncommittal about his future in the NBA.
The four-time MVP holds a lucrative $52.6MM player option for the 2025/26 season, which would be his record-setting 23rd in the league. At 40, James has been the NBA’s oldest player for two straight years. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, it is anticipated that James will at least return to suit up next season, as he noted on The Pat McAfee Show (YouTube video link).
“There’s no expectation for LeBron James to retire,” Charania said (hat tip to RealGM). “I will say that my sense, my understanding is he will play at least another NBA season. You think about next year, it’ll be year 23, that would set a league record. Year 23 for number 23. The All-Star game is in Los Angeles. He’s potentially playing in Los Angeles. There’s a lot of stars that would align for next season, potentially, if that’s what LeBron James decides. He’d be 41 years old in December.”
James put up impressive averages of 25.4 points, 9.0 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 2.0 steals and 1.8 blocks per game in L.A.’s 4-1 first round loss to Minnesota, but he often appeared exhausted by the fourth quarter of those bouts.
“And the other thing is does Bryce James, his son, does that factor play into it at all?” Charania said. “His son is going to be potentially draft-eligible in 2026 next year. So if he feels at some point next year Bryce James might be an NBA player. Might be a draft-eligible player, does he extend that window? I think that’s the only potential carrot caveat that you think of out there that could keep LeBron James even longer than at least one more year.”
Bryce James has committed to play at Arizona in 2025/26.
There’s more out of Los Angeles:
- LeBron James’ eldest son, Bronny James, was a deep-bench rookie guard with the Lakers this past season. According to Dave McMenamin of ESPN (Twitter link), the 20-year-old verified after Wednesday’s loss that he will return to suit up in Summer League activities with L.A. for the second straight season.
- After a generally successful 50-win regular season, first-year Lakers head coach JJ Redick had a strange playoff run during a 4-1 first round elimination to the Timberwolves, opines Mirjam Swanson of The Orange County Register. Swanson noted that Redick’s unusual coaching choices may have contributed to L.A.’s expedient exit. Redick played just five players for the entire second half of an eventual Game 4 defeat, and subsequently insisted that the club’s late-game failings were not a result of clear fatigue. Redick also opted to play reserve big man Maxi Kleber in Game 5 in his first game as a Laker after a three-month recovery from foot surgery. The Lakers, who essentially opted against using a traditional center in Game 5, surrendered 56 paint points and 20 second-chance points to Minnesota in the loss.
- The Lakers now head into an uncertain offseason, as Mark Deeks of HoopsHype and Bobby Marks of ESPN observe in their respective summer previews. Beyond James’ contract decision, forward Dorian Finney-Smith also has a $15.4MM player option for 2025/26. The Lakers could offer five-time All-NBA guard Luka Doncic a four-year, maximum-salary contract extension as of August 2. Veteran players on sizable deals like forward Rui Hachimura, guard Gabe Vincent, and Kleber could all be used to match salaries should Los Angeles look to acquire perimeter or center help on the trade market.