After the Lakers’ astonishing 116–104 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday, Lebron James offered a candid update about his future with the NBA. Now in his 21st season, James nailed a remarkable 40-point performance against the Nets, including nine three-pointers and seven rebounds.
It was a miraculous victory; but according to James, it may be one of his last. Asked by press after the game what his plans are for the future, the Lakers star replied with remarkable honesty. "I'm not gonna play another 21 years, that's for damn sure," James promised.
About how much longer he plans to remain with the NBA, the 39-year-old replied, "Not very long.”
He continued: “I don't know when that door will close as far as when I'll retire. But I don't have much time left."
But James is still going strong, as evidenced by his performance on Sunday. Michael Jordan is the only player besides James to notch multiple 40-point games after turning 39. James is also putting on a much more energetic show this year after being sidelined with an injury during the previous season.
"My foot has felt a lot better. I didn't have much time to really rep a lot last year because I had to make sure I could be on the floor running around or [not] putting much pounding of my foot on the floor," James told ESPN.
"I've had a lot of opportunity to get on the floor,” he said of the current season. “You probably see me before every game out on the floor, working on my game, working on my craft. So that's helped out a lot, too. And just trying to stay consistent with my shot, do the same shot every time. And just work. Just work, work, work, work."
Some in the industry believe that James will sign another three-year contract with the Lakers, meaning he’d remain on the team until 2027. However, it’s unclear if James’ encroaching 40th birthday in December will change those plans. Last May, just after completing his 20th NBA season, James said he was beginning to consider retirement.
