LOS ANGELES — Lakers star LeBron James is uncertain if he’ll be with the team when the 2023-24 NBA season starts in the fall, and retirement is under consideration, league sources tell Bleacher Report, TNT.
“I’m simply not sure if I’ll be back in the fall when the season begins,” James told Bleacher Report. “I have a lot to think about.”
James is expected to take his time in deciding if he’ll return for Year 21. He has two years, $97 million remaining on his contract, but the final year is a player option.
This blockbuster revelation comes after the Lakers were swept by the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals on Monday night.
“Just personally, with me moving forward with the game of basketball, I got a lot to think about,” James said post-game.
After 20 years, if this is it for LeBron, the four-time champion and four-time Finals MVP would exit the game 1st all-time in scoring, having passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar this season, and 1st all-time in playoff scoring with a 2,036-point gap between him and second place—Michael Jordan.
Through this season, LeBron has discussed a strong desire to play in the league with Bronny, his oldest son, who is a projected member of the 2024 NBA Draft class.
James was still among the league’s best this year earning a spot on the All-NBA Third Team. On the season, the 38-year-old, 19-time All-Star averaged 28.9 points, 8.3 rebounds and 6.8 assists per contest, ultimately landing the Lakers in the Western Conference Finals after starting the year 2-10.
Entering the 2023 offseason, Los Angeles has $29.6 million in practical cap space, per Spotrac.
There isn’t much long-term money on L.A.’s books with only six players officially contracted for the 2023-24 season, including James, Davis, Vanderbilt, Beasley and Mo Bamba.
