The NBA season is still weeks away, but folks are already anxious about the future of basketball’s most famous son, Lebron James. LeBron is about to begin his record 23rd year in the league and his eighth with the Lakers, and after exercising his player option this summer, he’s set to become a free agent next summer.
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Will LeBron retire at the end of this season, or does he still have more left in the tank? His play last season indicates that he’s not close to done yet, as he still made All-NBA Second Team. With his many interests and business ventures outside the game though, and a previously stated intention to not keep playing ‘until the wheels fall off,’ nobody knows when retirement will come.
The arrival of Luka Doncic as the new face of the franchise, cemented with the contract extension he signed this summer, also makes it unclear how much the Lakers value LeBron going forward. With Doncic at the center of everything the Lakers do, LeBron, for the first time ever will find himself being the second banana on the team with no hope of ever again being ‘the guy.’
Rachel Nichols and Chris Mannix spoke about LeBron’s situation on the most recent episode of Sports Illustrated’s Open Floor podcast, and they honed in on what Lakers president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka said about LeBron without really saying it a few days ago.
“Rob was asked directly about LeBron,” Nichols said, “and Rob’s practiced at this. So he’s given the same kind of answer a few different times.” Those answers essentially boil down to the Lakers taking a hands-off approach and allowing LeBron to decide what his future will hold.
Nichols picked up on how ESPN’s Dave McMenamin attempted to get a real answer from Pelinka on what the Lakers’ position is when it comes to LeBron. “If LeBron would like to be on the Lakers roster past this season, would the Lakers like him to be on that roster?” McMenamin asked.
That still didn’t produce a straight answer, as Pelinka said, “We would love it if the story is that LeBron retires as a Laker. That would be a positive story.”
“That is a very different thing of ‘Do you want him on the roster?’,” Nichols said. “I thought that was fascinating, and I’m surprised it didn’t get picked up more. Because he is really not going to commit to anything beyond this year, and that is so new for a LeBron James team,” she added.
Nichols is dead on here. Pelinka had things laid out for him in the clearest of terms. There could be no doubt about what McMenamin was asking, and still he chose to avoid the question, which of course was answer enough itself.
LeBron was all smiles at Lakers media day, and he seems to be having a good time in general as he plays golf and pals around with Kai Cenat. It’s going to be interesting to see if that lasts throughout the season though, especially as Luka takes the reins.
LeBron is infamous for his passive-aggressive behavior, and if he begins to feel like the Lakers are disrespecting him in any way, he’s not the type to just be quiet about it. Rumors will leak, cryptic statements will be made, it will not be fire and brimstone but there’s will be signs.
For now, let’s all get ready to enjoy another season of LeBron James playing basketball, because we don’t know when this ride will end.
