An hour before the Los Angeles Lakers` preseason opener in Palm Desert, California, the only signs of LeBron James in the locker room were his gold No. 23 jersey hanging in his cubby and a triangular foam cushion on his seat. The jersey wasn`t needed that night, but the cushion certainly was.
Out of the 42 players on the Lakers` and Phoenix Suns` training camp rosters, 22 were born in the 2000s and 19 in the 1990s.
Only one, James, was born in 1984 – five months before Suns head coach Jordan Ott.
The 40-year-old James didn`t participate in the exhibition match, having been restricted to light shooting during the first three days of training camp due to nerve irritation in his glute, as explained by Lakers coach JJ Redick. The cushion, however, served its purpose throughout the night, holding his spot in the locker room and at the end of the bench during the game.
When James eventually entered the locker room, sporting a T-shirt with the “Forever King” tagline from his latest Nike ad campaign, a reporter asked if he was ready to embark on an unprecedented 23rd season.
Before James could respond, Lakers guard Austin Reaves interjected, saying, “You`ve got another five seasons in you.”
James` eyes widened, and a smile spread across his face.
“Why not six or seven, to reach 30?” the reporter continued.
“Yeah, set a record!” Reaves added enthusiastically.
James turned to Reaves and smirked: “I already set a record.”
Indeed, of the approximately 5,000 players who have played in the NBA, James is the only one to have played for 23 seasons.
He also holds records for most regular-season points (42,184), most postseason points (8,289), most All-Star selections (21), and was part of the first active father-son duo to play together when he and Bronny James took the court against the Minnesota Timberwolves last fall.
His numerous achievements – including four MVPs, four championships, and four Finals MVPs – are well-documented. But as L.A. marks what could be the final quarter of James` career, following stints in Cleveland, Miami, and Cleveland again, the crucial question is whether his time is genuinely drawing to a close or if he will push his legacy into overtime.
As James begins his eighth season with the Lakers – his longest continuous period with any franchise – he finds himself on an expiring contract for the first time. He had exercised his $52.6 million option for the 2025-26 season in June without pursuing an extension.
During the Lakers` annual media day last week, James was immediately asked about his retirement plans.
“I don`t know,” said James, who earned second-team All-NBA honors in his 22nd season. “I`m excited for another season to play the game I love. And however this year`s journey unfolds, I`m fully invested, because, as you said, I don`t know when the end is, but I know it`s much sooner than later.”
The Lakers, who will be without James for the next three to four weeks due to sciatica in his right side, are coming off a season where they acquired 26-year-old superstar Luka Doncic and secured the No. 3 seed in the competitive Western Conference. However, they were defeated by the No. 6-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves in five games.
After James opted into his contract to remain in L.A., his agent, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, released a statement that many interpreted as a hint that James might conclude his career elsewhere.
“LeBron wants to compete for a championship,” Paul told ESPN. “He knows the Lakers are building for the future. He understands that, but he values a realistic chance of winning it all… We understand the difficulty in winning now while preparing for the future. We do want to evaluate what`s best for LeBron at this stage in his life and career.”
Having maintained complete control over his career for the past 22 years, the ideal and the realistic may now be at odds for James.
Here are four potential outcomes for James and the Lakers this unprecedented season.
1. Play Out the 2025-26 Season and Retire as a Laker
James` tenure with the Lakers has been marked by a series of injuries, causing him to miss 124 games over seven seasons, compared to just 71 in his first 15 years in the league. The Lakers` management has seen four different head coaches, and the front office`s trade and signing decisions have yielded mixed results. Despite this, there has been significant success.
The Lakers clinched a championship in 2020, with James becoming the first player to win Finals MVP for three different teams. The franchise grandly celebrated James when he surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to become the NBA`s all-time leading scorer in 2023. In 2024, the Lakers drafted Bronny with the No. 55 pick, allowing James to fulfill his stated last priority: “I need to be on the floor with my boy.”
Months before the 2024 draft, the Golden State Warriors explored a trade for James. The Lakers, through Paul, conveyed their disinterest. After the trade talks subsided, James reaffirmed his commitment to the franchise. “I am a Laker, and I`m happy and [have] been very happy being a Laker the last six years and hopefully it stays that way,” James stated.
Lakers President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Rob Pelinka, during his annual season-opening press conference, clearly articulated the franchise`s position.
“We would love if LeBron`s story would be, he retired a Laker,” Pelinka said. “That would be a positive story.”
While sources close to James indicate his career`s conclusion remains uncertain, a strong performance this season could bolster his desire to play for the best possible Lakers team, suggesting he has more basketball left in him.
The Lakers have the option to trade their 2031 or 2032 first-round pick this season and retain the right to swap firsts in five seasons for any deals they pursue. However, they might hesitate to use these assets to build a team around Doncic and James if James appears to be on his way out.
For those seeking hints about his future, several signs are available.
The Nike “Forever King” ad features a narrator discussing James` career in the past tense – “They called him the Chosen One… We were all witnesses.”
The Cleveland Cavaliers` “Classic Edition” uniform for this season mirrors the style James wore as a rookie with the Cavs in 2003-04.
The NBA schedule designers arranged L.A.`s first home game and last road game of the season against Stephen Curry and the Warriors, potentially offering a fitting farewell for the two most impactful players of their era, should James indeed be on his final run.
Following media day, James posted a compilation of moments from the event on his Instagram, set to Lenny Kravitz`s “It Ain`t Over `Til It`s Over,” possibly hinting at an imminent end.
2. Play Out the 2025-26 Season and Re-Sign with the Lakers on a New Deal
Pelinka`s media conference response regarding James retiring as a Laker was noteworthy because he addressed a different question than he was asked; the original inquiry was about the Lakers` interest in re-signing James in the summer of 2026.
L.A. is projected to have around $50 million in cap space, which would be entirely consumed if James pursued a new max contract. James would be eligible to sign a deal for up to three years, totaling $188 million, with a starting salary of $58.1 million for the 2026-27 season, according to ESPN NBA front office insider Bobby Marks.
Despite James` exceptional performance, extending his prime far beyond typical expectations, a valid question arises about how his timeline aligns with the team`s other top players, both in their mid-20s. Sources indicate that Doncic and Reaves, for their part, genuinely enjoy playing with James and wish for the partnership to continue.
Neither player has reportedly questioned James about his retirement plans, aiming to respect his personal process.
Doncic, who idolized James during his youth, has cherished their collaboration and believes James is crucial to L.A.`s immediate championship aspirations. He is also unfazed by any potential spectacle accompanying James` career endgame, having already experienced an aging legend`s farewell tour when Dirk Nowitzki`s final season with the Dallas Mavericks coincided with Doncic`s rookie year. Sources confirmed Doncic found that time with Nowitzki invaluable.
Furthermore, if the Lakers were to win the championship this season – bringing James` career total to five – would he view that as a perfect conclusion, or would he be motivated to return, defend the title, and potentially equal Michael Jordan`s six championships?
3. Start the 2025-26 Season with the Lakers and Request a Trade or Buyout in January or February
Rich Paul`s statement in June clarified James` ultimate priority as his career winds down: winning.
Consequently, if L.A. faces difficulties – whether due to injuries, incompatible roster elements, or simply not being strong enough to compete in the tough Western Conference – James might choose to depart.
Given that James possesses a no-trade clause in his contract, any potential deal would require his explicit approval.
The challenge lies in the limited number of viable destinations for him.
Cleveland, which would represent a second and possibly final homecoming, would need to shed nearly $90 million in salaries to facilitate a trade, according to Marks. Such a deal would likely involve multiple teams, as the Cavs are prohibited from exceeding the second apron in a James trade.
Due to their apron restrictions, the Cavs would also be unable to sign James from the waiver wire if he secured a buyout with L.A. Similarly, the Warriors and New York Knicks would be ineligible to sign him under those circumstances.
Then there are the Mavericks. James has previously won titles with both Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving, and he maintains close ties with coach Jason Kidd and several members of Kidd`s staff. However, the Mavs, too, would need to offload an exorbitant amount of salary to make a deal feasible, as per Marks.
Dallas is also currently a second-apron team and would need to trade $12 million in salary without acquiring any in return to become a potential buyout destination for James.
4. Play Out the 2025-26 Season with the Lakers and Sign Elsewhere as a Free Agent
Ten teams are projected to have significant cap space in the summer of 2026, including the Brooklyn Nets, LA Clippers, and Chicago Bulls, suggesting potential unforeseen opportunities for James.
However, leaving Southern California would entail a significant personal upheaval, considering his wife Savannah and daughter Zhuri reside there, Bronny is under contract with the Lakers, and Bryce (his son) is a short flight away at the University of Arizona.
James will also be part of a free-agent class that could include other stars like Kevin Durant, Trae Young, and James Harden, alongside impact players such as Reaves, Draymond Green, Bradley Beal, Norman Powell, and Coby White. Thus, it`s not guaranteed he would attract limitless interest across the league.
Ultimately, James` future remains uncertain. It is yet to be determined whether his 23rd season will signal the countdown to his career`s end or merely a bridge to a 24th season, or even beyond. His body might ultimately make that decision for him.
“Everyone is trying to dictate when he`s done, and the reality is nobody actually knows,” a source close to James told ESPN.
James, for his part, claims he isn`t preoccupied with the future right now. “Not worried about yesterday and not trying to focus on what the future holds,” he told ESPN. “It`s about staying present… Because like I said, I don`t know when the end is, but I know it is not as long [away as] `The Godfather 2.` So I know I got to stay present.”
