The subject of Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James retiring from the NBA is now a relevant topic once again.
James’ 22nd season in the league came to an end with the team’s Game 5 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday. The Lakers got booted in the first round for a second year in a row despite finishing as the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference this time around.
It makes sense if some Lakers fans are worried about James deciding to call it quits on his NBA career soon, as on top of all the miles on his body he’s accumulated over his lengthy career, there’s no player in the league right now older than him. He’s 40 years old and will turn 41 in December.
However, ESPN’s Shams Charania provided a report that indicates James isn’t going to retire in the coming days or even months. According to Charania, the expectation is that James will play “at least” one more season in the NBA.
.@ShamsCharania says LeBron James is expected to play "at least another NBA season".
"[Bryce James] is gonna be potentially draft eligible in 2026 … [LeBron's] got a 54-million dollar player option … He probably opts into that." 👀 pic.twitter.com/IrdvaCaRms
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) May 1, 2025
James started his pro career with the Cleveland Cavaliers after they selected him with the No. 1 overall pick all the way back in the 2003 NBA Draft. The forward is the only member of his draft class who’s still active in the league.
He has spent more than half of his life as an NBA player, and even after multiple decades, he still has the skill set and physical gifts to be a franchise player. James averaged 24.4 points, 7.8 rebounds and 8.2 assists per game across 70 appearances in the 2024-25 regular season and was named an All-Star.
Assuming James does indeed play at least one more season in the league, hopefully he can help the Lakers reach the playoffs again next year and go on a deep run. It’s worth noting that fellow star Luka Doncic will have a full season in a Lakers uniform under his belt by the time the next season’s playoffs arrive.
Lakers fans should breathe a sigh of relief after hearing what Charania had to say about James’ NBA future and be optimistic about getting to see a 23rd season from the league’s all-time leading scorer.
