LeBron James makes new announcement on retirement after Lakers' early playoff exit

The Los Angeles Lakers’ generational forward, LeBron James, recently completed his 22nd season in the big leagues. 

While many appreciate James’ greatness on the hardwood, they’re aware that he can’t play basketball forever, sparking a debate about his potential retirement.

James briefly touched on the subject after Los Angeles’ season-ending loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves last Wednesday, but made a new announcement about it on Thursday. 

“Obviously, No. 1 is to get back healthy,” James said on the Mind the Game podcast.

“I’ll be able to do some small stuff within the next week or two just to try and get the mobility back in the knee (diagnosed with Grade 2 MCL sprain) and things of that nature.” 

“My youngest son is headed off to college soon, so that’s another bird out of the nest, a very emotional moment coming for Bryce going off to Tucson to be an Arizona Wildcat.”

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“And then, I’ll take some vacation time with the family, some of the times that you lose, obviously when you’re in the eight-nine-month season, and see what this next journey looks like.  I haven’t had the (retirement) conversation with the family as far as me going forward, but we’ll see what happens.”

The fact that there’s a possibility that James could return for Year 23 is remarkable. Many of the all-time greats pulled the plug on their respective careers in their mid to late 30s. 

However, from a physical shape and on-court production standpoint, the four-time NBA Finals MVP can play until age 42 or 43. 

James nearly averaged a triple-double in the regular season, contributing 24.4 points, 8.2 assists, and 7.8 rebounds per contest on a Lakers team that finished with the third-best record in the Western Conference. 

James’ playoff numbers weren’t too shabby either, as he notched 25.4 points, pulled down 9.0 rebounds, and dished out 5.6 assists under the bright lights alongside Luka Doncic. 

After spending quality time with his loved ones and considering different perspectives this summer, James should soon be able to make an important decision regarding his future in the NBA.

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