The Los Angeles Lakers are entering a season full of uncertainty, particularly surrounding the future of franchise legend LeBron James. The speculation began over the summer, when some odd developments sparked trade rumors. However, James has remained focused on one thing: competing for championships in the final chapter of his career.
“LeBron wants to compete for a championship,” Rich 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 are very appreciative of the partnership that we’ve had for eight years with Jeanie [Buss] and Rob [Pelinka] and consider the Lakers as a critical part of his career.”
In recent days, speculation has grown that James could retire after this season, adding to the narrative of a looming “second decision.”
“Obviously, the biggest and most shocking news would be of his retirement. James is 40 years old and will be 41 by the end of the season. James has hinted at and/or teased his retirement too many times to count in recent years though, and James has said that he is not going to sit around and wait for his younger son Bryce to reach the NBA like many people have assumed of him,” USA Today’s Jon Hoefling wrote.
Now, ESPN is reporting that subtle signals suggest the NBA itself may already know this will be James’ final season.
“For those looking for clues, there are a few out there. The Nike ‘Forever King’ ad features a narrator speaking about 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 is the same style James wore when he came into the league as a rookie with the Cavs in 2003-04. The NBA schedule makers had L.A.’s first home game of the season and last road game of the season both be against Stephen Curry and the Warriors, a fitting way for the two most important players of their era to have a proper send-off, if James is indeed on his last lap,” Lakers insider Dave McMenamin wrote.
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While there has been no official word, the signs are mounting. And it’s hard to imagine LeBron James — one of the greatest players in basketball history — retiring without a farewell tour.
If this truly is the end, the NBA may already be preparing for it. James’ possible retirement is likely to be one of the season’s biggest storylines from start to finish.
