Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James has been playing in the NBA since the 2003-04 season when he first his career with the Cleveland Cavaliers. James is 40 years old, and he has shown no signs of slowing down anytime soon.
When the 2025-26 season ends, he will become an unrestricted free agent. Will he stop playing the game he loves after this year? Does he have a retirement tour potentially planned for the future? There are a lot of questions that James is going to have to answer in the immediate future.
Los Angeles Lakers LeBron James Believes Retirement is Around the Corner but Not Here Just Yet
James was on a podcast called 360 with Speedy. He talked about when he could potentially retire from the NBA. The Lakers superstar said,
"I know I am on the other side of the hump, for sure. Come on now, I'm not gonna play another 23 years, that's for damn sure. And I'm not gonna play another ten. So, I'm definitely gearing up to where the end is. I'm not there yet. But I am super blessed to be able to sit here. Year 23, picked up another signature shoe, picked up golf. Listen guys, every time I pick up something new, it does not mean retirement. It's just something I want to do, it's just a little hobby. But retirement is coming, it is coming. It's just not here yet."
Since his retirement isn't official for now, it could very well come after this season ends. Would LeBron go back to Cleveland, Ohio for one final season in his NBA career where it all started? That is something that Cavaliers fans and other NBA fans wonder.
For now, he is worried about the upcoming 2025-26 season with the Lakers. With him being a free agent after the season, the retirement questions will continue to come up.
He played in 70 games with the Lakers last season. James averaged 24.4 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 8.2 APG, 0.6 BPG, and 1.0 SPG. He also shot 51.3% from the field. He was 13th in points per game, 22nd in rebounds per game, and sixth in assists per game during the 2024-25 NBA season. If anyone had to guess when he will retire, it will probably be within the next five years or maybe sooner.
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