Being swept in the Western Conference Finals by the Denver Nuggets didn’t sit well with Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James. As a matter of fact, it has James thinking about whether he will continue playing basketball.
Speaking with reporters after a 113-111 loss in Game 4 on Monday night, James said that he would take some time to consider his NBA future.
“Going forward with the game of basketball, I’ve got a lot to think about,” said James.
ESPN later reached out to James to see what exactly he meant with his statement.
“If I want to continue to play,” James elaborated, adding that he will “think about” walking away from basketball.
Despite failing to get to the NBA Finals, James put together an impressive run with the Lakers in 2022-23. After starting the season 2-10, the LA team managed to get into the playoffs as the seventh seed and then eliminated the Memphis Grizzlies and the Golden State Warriors on their way to Eastern Conference Finals.
During the Lakers’ playoff run, James averaged 23.5 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 6.3 assists per game.
James is under contract with the Lakers for 2023-24 when he is set to earn $46.7 million in salary. The 38-year-old James also has a player option for 2024-24 worth $50.4 million.
Learning that James is thinking about retirement comes as a surprise, considering he said on numerous occasions that he would like to play with his son Bronny James in the NBA. Bronny is set to play college basketball at USC and will likely enter the league through the 2024 NBA Draft.
