LeBron James will compete in the NBA for another season, but what’ll happen once the next offseason arrives?
By then, the Los Angeles Lakers star will be 41 years old and have no choice but to contemplate his future in the big leagues.
Last Friday, NBA Insider Brian Windhorst provided an update on James’ 2026 retirement status weeks before the start of the Lakers' training camp.
“Now, as far as LeBron's future—I know there's a lot of speculation," Windhorst said on a recent episode of his podcast. "Based on my conversations, I honestly think they don't know.”
“As far as I know, he's honestly going year to year. Could this be his last year? Yes. Will it be his last year? I don't know. Does he know right now? Maybe. But my interpretation is that it has not been established. He will see where he's at at the end of the year."
Many were unsure if James would continue his NBA career after the 2024-25 campaign.
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James and the Lakers finished the year on a sour note, falling to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the postseason despite being favored to prevail.
With James possessing four championships, four Finals MVPs, and the NBA scoring title (for now), it wouldn’t have been surprising to come across a report regarding James’ retirement.
The 15-time All-Star was also able to play alongside his son, Bronny, for the first time in his career, allowing him to check off another box in the professional ranks.
Simply put, James has done it all during his 22-year career and doesn’t have to continue playing to cement his legacy.
Still, James wants to chase another title with the new-look Lakers next season, but beyond that, no one knows what the future Hall of Famer has planned.
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