LeBron James may be entering his final season in the NBA.
The 40-year-old superstar has been contemplating retirement for years, and the end could come as soon as the conclusion of the 2025-26 season.
“I think we have to start thinking about this could be his last year in the league,” Dave McMenamin said. “Rich Paul told me, ‘Yeah there was no extension talk because we didn’t ask for an extension. We didn’t broach the subject.’ … Rich Paul’s point to me was this wasn’t a point of tension. ‘It’s not something that we were pursuing.’”
“I think we have to start thinking about this could be his last year in the league” 💔
– @mcten on Lebron
(h/t @ohnohedidnt24 )
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) July 16, 2025
The ESPN insider also noted that James has weighed walking away since reaching his 20th season.
“And so I think you look at it like, yeah, there’s a very limited time in his career,” McMenamin said.
James, who will turn 41 in December of this year, remains a force on the court despite his near 23 seasons in the league.
He averaged 25.1 points, 8.2 assists and 7.9 rebounds last season while picking up his $52.6 million player option for 2025-26.
James reportedly hasn’t spoken to the Lakers about a buyout or trade, and he is expected to report to training camp with the team, according to The Athletic.
Still, uncertainty lingers over whether his 23rd NBA season will be spent in purple and gold.
The Lakers, meanwhile, appear to be planning for a post-LeBron future with 26-year-old Luka Doncic now in place as the franchise cornerstone.