The NBA is set to witness history this upcoming season when LeBron James becomes the first player to play in 23 seasons. James’ future has been in question throughout the offseason, and one Los Angeles Lakers legend has made a bold prediction about it.
Robert Horry discussed what’s next for “The King” on the latest episode of the “Big Shot Bob” podcast on September 30. Horry doesn’t believe James will request a trade out of the Lakers due to a variety of factors. His family has settled in Los Angeles, while his businesses have thrived in the big market city.
“I don’t think he’s going anywhere just because his daughter is doing well here. His wife’s doing good here. He’s really close to his other son, who is going to Arizona. He’s playing with Bronny. It’s too many factors for him, knowing the family man that he is, that he’s gonna say, ‘Alright, I’m gonna go to New York because they got a chance to win the East.’ I don’t think he’s going anywhere,” Horry said.
Horry added that if James ends up playing for another team, it could hurt his legacy. The four-time MVP is on the third team of his career, previously playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat. He had two stints in Cleveland, from 2003 to 2010 and from 2014 to 2018.
Retirement is Not on LeBron James’ Mind
At the age of 40, LeBron James is not thinking about retirement heading into his 23rd NBA season. James will be turning 41 years old on December 30, but he’s still enjoying the process. He did acknowledge that the end of his career is approaching, though the exact timeline is still unknown to him.
“I’m excited about today. I’m excited about the opportunity to be able to play the game that I love for another season. However the journey lays out this year, I’m super-invested, because I don’t know when the end is. I know it’s a lot sooner than later,” James said on Monday’s media day in Los Angeles.
As for the rumors of him waiting to play with his second son, Bryce James, in the NBA, the four-time champ dispelled them with a smile on his face. The proud father is not putting a lot of pressure on Bryce, who is set to start his collegiate career at Arizona.
LeBron James Dealing with Injury at Start of Training Camp
Despite looking lively during offseason workouts and on the golf course, LeBron James is dealing with an injury heading into training camp. Los Angeles Lakers coach JJ Redick told reporters before Tuesday’s camp that James has nerve irritation in his glute.
“It will be a slower process with him leading into the first game. He’s obviously got 22 years so far of wear and tear on his body. He’s dealing with a little bit of nerve irritation in the glute. We’re playing the long game with LeBron,” Redick said.
James didn’t show any signs of slowing down last season, averaging 24.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, 8.2 assists and 1.0 steals in 70 games. It was his lowest scoring average since he was a rookie but still impressive for the oldest player in the NBA.
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