LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers is expected to play one or two more NBA seasons before retiring, according to NBA insider Shams Charania.
LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers is expected to play one or two more NBA seasons before retiring, according to NBA insider Shams Charania.
“And today, I had a conversation with Rich Paul regarding LeBron James’ future and his candor regarding retiring and reaching the end of his career. “It’s like landing a plane,” Rich Paul said to me. You don’t land instantly. There’s a warning when you’re going to descend after 45 minutes out. A brief announcement is made here. And I believe Rich Paul kind of hinted at that point.
James, who is 39 years old, is the oldest player in the NBA right now, but that hasn’t stopped him from being among the best players this season. He is shooting 53.3 percent from the field and a career-high 41.6 percent from three-point range, averaging 25.4 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 8.1 assists per game.
James was almost a lock from deep in the Lakers’ most recent game on March 31 against the Brooklyn Nets. In a game that Los Angeles won by a score of 12 points, he made all but one of his ten 3-pointers and concluded with 40 points, seven rebounds, and five assists. With the win, Los Angeles moved to 42-33 on the season.
Brooklyn’s three-game winning streak came to an end when Los Angeles defeated the Nets. The Lakers’ triumph was also their seventh in their previous ten games.
In his 21st NBA season, James has been the sparkplug for the Lakers’ offense despite being older — at least by NBA standards.
He leads the club in assists per game as well as points per game, with Anthony Davis trailing him by only 24.7 points per game. The only other Lakers player averaging more than six assists per game in the 2023–24 regular season is D’Angelo Russell.
When the Lakers play the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday, James and the team will have a great chance to win their second straight game. The Raptors, who are 23-51, have one of the poorest records in the Eastern Conference and are now riding a 13-game losing streak—the longest in the NBA.
Their most recent victory was on March 3, which was about a month ago, against the Charlotte Hornets.