Have we seen the last of LeBron James as an NBA player?
The superstar forward did not say much about what his future plans are following the Los Angeles Lakers’ 115-110 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 4 of a second-round series at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, Calif.
Although he never said anything final with regard to his playing career, the four-time NBA Most Valuable Player did not close the door on a potential retirement.
“I think you guys asked me about [retirement], and I’ve answered questions, the 41-year-old James told reporters, via Dave McMenamin of ESPN.
“I don’t think I’ve come out and been like, ‘Oh, retirement is coming,'” James said. “With my future, I don’t know, honestly. It’s, obviously it’s still fresh from, obviously losing [the series]. And I don’t know. I don’t know what the future holds for me.”
James is due to become an unrestricted free agent in the summer, as his current contract will expire in the offseason. It remains to be seen whether he’ll continue playing for the Los Angeles Lakers, take his talents elsewhere, or call it a career.
James has won nearly everything there is to be won in the league. But he’s also far from a washed veteran, which one can easily tell from his numbers alone in the 2026 NBA Playoffs.
James even arguably had a better performance in the Thunder series than reigning NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. In four games, James averaged 23.3 points on 50% shooting, 6.0 rebounds and 5.8 assists, while SGA had 24.5 points on 47.1% shooting, 6.3 dimes and 2.3 boards.
