No one knows for sure when Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James will call it a career, but plenty of insiders can provide insight on the situation.
James turns 41 years old at the end of 2025 and is entering the final year of his contract with the Lakers, so him retiring after the upcoming season is a reasonable guess. However, he is showing few signs of slowing down on the court, which means he could continue adding to his resume if his passion remains.
NBA insider Brian Windhorst of ESPN shared an update on what he’s hearing around the league about James’ retirement timeline.
“Now, as far as LeBron’s future—I know there’s a lot of speculation,” Windhorst said. “Based on my conversations, I honestly think they don’t know. As far as I know, he’s honestly going year to year. Could this be his last year? Yes. Will it be his last year? I don’t know. Does he know right now? Maybe. But my interpretation is that it has not been established. He will see where he’s at at the end of the year.”
It’s obvious the 21-time All-Star is chasing the fifth championship of his career, so how close the Lakers come to that goal could play a part in his decision.
His individual play could have equally as much, if not more, influence on the choice because he hits free agency next summer. He averaged 24.4 points, 8.2 assists, and 7.8 rebounds on 51.3% shooting last season, so it’s hard to imagine he has a significant decline.
Let’s say James has another All-Star campaign, but the Lakers severely disappoint. He could ink a one or two-year deal with a different championship contender.
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Teams like the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors have been floated as destinations for the four-time NBA champion.
As Windhorst pointed out, the 2025-2026 season could be James’ last, so fans of the NBA need to appreciate more than ever each time he steps foot on the court.
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