Uncertain about future, LeBron James treasures time with son, Bronny, in Cleveland

CLEVELAND — As LeBron James made the trip to Rocket Arena before the Lakers’ Wednesday night blowout loss to the Cavaliers, he couldn’t help but wonder the same thing everyone else was.

Could that have been James’ last NBA game in Cleveland, and should he soak it in even more than usual?

“That’s every road arena that I’ve been in,” James said. “I think [I’ve] talked about that, that I’m just trying to take everything in, not take the moments for granted. Because it could be [my last season].” 

James, who’s 41 years old and playing in his league-record 23rd NBA season, reiterated that he doesn’t know what the future will hold for him beyond this season. 

He’s slated to become an unrestricted free agent this summer. 

“I obviously haven’t made a decision on the future, but it very well could be [my last season]. So, no matter if it’s here or going to Washington and playing the next game, [Madison Square] Garden, Barclays [Center], on this trip. And obviously it means a little bit more here for me personally because I grew up 35 minutes south of here.”

James, and the Lakers, struggled on Wednesday night. 

The four-time league MVP finished with just 11 points on 3-of-10 shooting to go with six turnovers, five assists and three rebounds.

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And the 129-99 final score was the Lakers’ largest margin of defeat in a game this season. They were outscored by the Cavaliers 99-59 in the game’s final 32 minutes, including 72-44 in the second half, after having a 40-30 lead early in the third. 

“We got outplayed, you can say, I got outcoached,” coach JJ Redick said. “We just didn’t look like we had all our juice.”

Despite the lackluster performance that dropped the Lakers to 28-18, there was a bright spot outside of the tribute video the Cavaliers had for James in the first quarter: second-year guard Bronny James scoring eight points — a dunk in transition and a pair of 3-pointers in the game’s final 3 ½ minutes after the Cleveland chanted “We want Bron-ny” multiple times during the fourth quarter. 

Bronny, 21, was born in Akron, Ohio like his father. He spent many years around the Cavaliers during the elder James’ two stints with the organization from 2003-2010 and 2014-18. 

“It was pretty cool just sitting over there and watching him just continue to live out his dream,” LeBron said of Bronny. “Obviously it’s a homecoming for him/ And to see him get that fastbreak dunk, hit a couple shots, get the ovation from the fans – it’s a pretty cool moment for him, for us as a family, for my wife and his siblings. Just super cool.”

LeBron added: “And my mom is here watching her son and her grandson. Like, I don’t even know how to even wrap that all in one in my brain. And yeah, it’s so weird and so cool and so surreal. My mom gets to watch her son and her grandson play in the NBA at the same time. I actually just started to think about how insane that is. That’s awesome.”

But regardless of Wednesday’s result, James’ future was always going to be the main focus coming out of the game against the Cavaliers. 

James told cleveland.com in May 2017 that he felt he didn’t have anything left to prove. 

But nearly nine years later, he’s still playing. 

“After going to eight straight Finals and with all the energy and all the mental toll and the physical toll that it took on me and obviously my teammates – four in Miami, four [in Cleveland – if you would’ve asked me if I was going to be playing eight years later, I’d have said no,” James said. “It’s just, there’s no way I could have foreseen that. A couple more years? Yeah. I can go out and play at a high level for a couple more years. But eight years? No.”

Most team and league personnel aren’t expecting for James to retire after this season — though it’s uncertain whether he’d continue his career with the Lakers.

But if James does decide to retire, he would’ve done so without a proper farewell tour. 

“I have not even thought to the point of a farewell tour or whatever the case may be,” James said. “Because I haven’t had the conversation with myself and my family on when is it over? So I think that will come after that.”

When James does have his internal dialogues, they come back to why he’s still playing – a question he has a consistent answer for.

“My why has been that I’m still playing this game at a high level and I still love the process,” he said. “The process of putting in the work, inspiring, giving what I got to the game because I’ll have more years in my life without it than with it to be able to inspire. I’m not talking about even me personally. I’ve done well for myself on a personal note.

“Now, obviously, the question gets asked more and the thought creeps in my mind more at 41 years old of when the end is and where’s the finish line for us to hang this thing up. But how much juice can I squeeze out of this orange? I’m in a battle with Father Time and I’m taking it personal, and I’m seeing how many more times I could be victorious over him. I won’t be one of those guys that won’t be able to walk off the court, that’s for sure.”