The Los Angeles Lakers are done for the season after a quick first-round playoff exit, but the future of superstar LeBron James remains an open question.
Reporters asked James directly about his retirement plans following his team’s Game 5 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves at Crypto.com Arena on Wednesday, April 30.
“I don’t have an answer to that,” James said, per Mike Trudell of Spectrum SN. “I’ll sit down with my wife, family and support group … have a conversation with myself on how long I want to continue to play. We’ll see.”
Lakers’ Trade for Luka Doncic Breathed New Life Into Team Around Mid-Season Point
GettySuperstar forward LeBron James (left) and head coach JJ Redick (right) of the Los Angeles Lakers.
James has been in the NBA for 22 years, well over half of his life, and is perhaps better aware than anyone else that long-term career decisions aren’t best made in the immediate aftermath of a disappointing end to an anticipated postseason.
The Lakers fell backwards into the most shocking trade in league history when the Dallas Mavericks came calling for Anthony Davis and offered Luka Doncic in return. By season’s end, Los Angeles had vaulted all the way into the No. 3 seed, but then caught an unfavorable matchup against the young and lengthy Timberwolves.
Minnesota was able to exploit the Lakers’ lack of size and depth, dominating the fourth quarters across the series. That reality isn’t going to change for the 40-year-old James next season, when he will turn 41 in December.
However, a younger roster around James — not to mention one constructed to maximize the talents of Doncic — should ease the burden on the four-time MVP on both ends of the court. Specifically, Los Angeles is likely to pursue a center with the ability to rim run on offense and offer Doncic a consistent lob threat, while also protecting the rim on defense and taking some of the pressure off Lakers wings like James.
LeBron James Remains Among NBA’s Best, Despite Distinction as League’s Oldest Player
GettyLos Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James.
James remains under contract for one more season, though he has a player option and can opt out this summer. Should he choose to do so, it would likely be for two reasons: to negotiate a multiyear deal (likely a two-year contract with a player option on the second season once again) and potentially to take less money, thereby clearing salary cap space for the Lakers to be more active in free agency.
Despite his advanced age (James is the oldest player in the NBA), James was still an All-Star during the 2024-25 campaign and is likely going to make an All-NBA squad for the the 21st consecutive time. He averaged 24.4 points, 8.2 assists and 7.8 rebounds in 34.9 minutes per night across 70 regular season games played.
Meanwhile, Doncic is a five-time First-Team All-NBA player who just turned 26 years old and is on the precipice of his prime. So while the Lakers fell short in rather disappointing fashion this season, there is a reasonable chance they can build a contender over the next year or two and put James in position to win the fifth championship title of his career, which may be all that is necessary to keep him coming back to the court for more.
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