LeBron James noncommittal on future, hints at retirement after loss to Nuggets: ‘I’ve got a lot to think about’
Could this be the end? LeBron James’ cryptic press conference Monday after the Los Angeles Lakers’ Game 4 loss to the Denver Nuggets raises legitimate questions about his future. “We’ ll see what happens going forward,” James said Monday night at Crypto.com Arena.“ I don’ t know.
Could this be the end?
LeBron James’ cryptic press conference Monday after the Los Angeles Lakers’ Game 4 loss to the Denver Nuggets raises legitimate questions about his future.
The 38-year-old hinted at retirement after being swept out of the Western Conference Finals.
“We’ll see what happens going forward,” James said Monday night at Crypto.com Arena. “I don’t know. I don’t know. I’ve got a lot to think about, to be honest. Just for me personally going forward with the game of basketball, I’ve got a lot to think about. …”
“It’s all about availability for me and keeping my mind sharp, and things of that nature,” James said. “Being present on the floor, being present in the locker room and bus rides and plane rides, things of that nature. It’s challenging, for sure. It was a very challenging season for me, for our ballclub, and obviously we know whatever went on early on [in the Lakers’ 2-10 start to the season]. It was cool, a pretty cool ride.”
Any hint of walking away from the NBA comes as a surprise considering the four-time MVP has continuously said he wants to play with his son, Bronny, before he heads off into the sunset.
Bronny recently committed to play basketball at USC next season. He will not be in the NBA until the 2024-25 season at minimum. Playing with his son seemed to be the priority before thoughts of “early” retirement creeped into James’ head.
“I need to be on the floor with my boy, I got to be on the floor with Bronny,” LeBron said on Jan. 6. “Either in the same uniform or a matchup against him. I don’t mean like [guarding one another all game] — because he’s a point guard and I’m a, at this point now I’m playing center or whatever the team needs from me. But I would love to do the whole Ken Griffey Sr. and Jr. thing. That would be ideal for sure.
“I ask him what are his aspirations, and he says he wants to play in the NBA. So, if he wants do to it, he’s got to put in the work. I’m here already, so, I’m just waiting on him.”
The NBA’s all-time leading scorer didn’t appear to have lost a step in the first half of Game 4 as he carried the Lakers to a 15-point halftime lead by tying his career high for points in any first half (30). His final statline was 40 points, 10 rebounds and 8 assists in his 282nd career playoff game, the most in NBA history. But a weary-looking LeBron missed two potential tying shots in the final minute of Denver’s 113-111 win. The Lakers are understanding of James’ right to make a decision but still hope he returns.
“We all know that [James] speaks for himself, and we’ll look forward to those conversations,” Lakers’ general manager Rob Pelinka said Tuesday. “LeBron has given as much to the game of basketball as anyone who has ever played. When you do that, you earn the right to decide if you want to give more. … Obviously, our hope is that his career continues.”
James’ his lack of availability during his 20th season seems to have put a damper on what was another phenomenal statistical season.
The four-time NBA champion averaged 28.9 points, 8.3 rebounds and 6.8 assists, however, he played in just 55 games as he missed a month of the season with a foot injury.
“I guess I’ll reflect on my career when I’m done, but I don’t know,” James said. “The only thing I concern myself with is being available to my teammates, and I don’t like the fact that I didn’t play as many games as I would have liked because of injury. That’s the only thing I care about, is being available to my teammates.”
James’ Lakers went much further this season than many would have anticipated early on. Darvin Ham’s squad was 25-31 with the playoffs seeming like a long shot. However, they turned the season around with the help from some new additions such as D’Angelo Russell, Rui Hachimura and Jarred Vanderbilt finishing 44-38 and the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference after defeating the Minnesota Timberwolves in the play-in game.
The Lakers then went on to take down the No. 2 seed Memphis Grizzlies in the first round and then Steph Curry’s Golden State Warriors in the second round before their run came to an end on Monday night, a loss in which Ham joked he “was ready to retire after last night, too.”
James is under contract for $46.9 million next season with the Lakers.
With The Associated Press
()