Nobody except LeBron James knows his plans for retirement, but it came as a surprise to nobody when the latest timeline for his career was finally revealed. According to Shams Charania, the expectation is that James will play just one or two more seasons with a focus on winning one last championship before the end.
“Most people I talk to in the league around LeBron James, one or two more years is the expectation. But it’s obvious. Based on his comments, he’s at the end of the road. For players of LeBron James’ stature, it’s hard to come to grips with the realities of retirement. I spoke to Rich Paul today, and he told me, ‘It’s like landing a plane; you don’t just land right away when you’re 45 minutes out. When you descend, there’s a warning, a little bit of an announcement.’”
"One or two more years is the expectation for LeBron James..
Clearly he still loves the game and he still wants to win another ring" ~ @ShamsCharania#PMSLive pic.twitter.com/rvwOwP1MPJ
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) April 2, 2024
Shams made it clear that LeBron hasn’t lost an ounce of his desire to win and he’s just as competitive now as any point in his career. This season, his 21st, he’s playing like a man who is passionate for the game and he’s doing everything he can to spark some life into his team.
But after over two decades of dominating the league, the King’s age is starting to show. As great as his numbers look right now, his impact on the game is being doubted like never before as, despite his play, the Lakers are 9th in the West. Most worrying of all for James has been his declining health. This season marks the first since 2019-20 that James has played at least 65 games, a mark that LeBron easily surpassed in most of his years with the Cavaliers and Heat.
Of course, LeBron has been dropping hints of his retirement plans for a while now. When the Lakers were swept last May, James teased that he may not return before taking it back a few days later. He’s also talked openly about “the end” of his career multiple times in recent history.
There is no question anymore that LeBron James is in the final stages of his basketball life. The only uncertainty now is the manner in which he’ll go out: on a Lakers team competing for a championship or one fighting to stay relevant and avoid further embarrassment. For LeBron, it’s imperative that he goes out like a winner, or his legacy may never recover.
Los Angeles Lakers Are On The Clock
With LeBron James set to turn 40 next December and talking about one or two more seasons left (at most), the Lakers are running out of time to win another championship. They are facing unbelievable pressure to make adjustments this summer and get LeBron the kind of help he deserves.
Currently, with Anthony Davis and a cast of inconsistent role-players, not even LeBron was able to save the Lakers from a fierce play-in battle, and it seems they are destined to fight their way into the playoffs for the second straight year.
Barring a miracle Finals run, the Lakers will look to make changes however they finish this regular season. With several contracts coming off the books, Rob Pelinka should be able to make some ambitious moves to set up his team for ultimate success.
The first order is business will be establishing the team’s long-term point guard. If it’s not D’Angelo Russell, the Lakers will prioritize bringing in a scoring point guard, with names such as Trae Young and Dejounte Murray topping the list. There’s also the matter of the coaching department, where Darvin Ham’s future hangs in the balance.
The Lakers’ response to these matters is surely tied to their performance this season, and how far away they believe they are from competing with the likes of Denver, Oklahoma City, and Minnesota.
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