Will the 2025-26 season be the last of LeBron James' Hall of Fame career?
That's the question that has loomed over the offseason and will continue to hang over the Los Angeles Lakers over the course of the entire season.
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While there was much speculation all offseason about where James would play this year, that question has essentially been put to rest at least until the trade deadline.
James will be a Laker, and he and Luka Doncic will join forces to try to get the Lakers their 18th championship — and, in turn, net James his fifth.
But what will happen after this season?
According to NBA Hall of Famer and former LeBron James rival Paul Pierce, it will be retirement for the NBA's all-time leading scorer.
"If I'm a betting man I think this will be his last season," Pierce said in a recent interview. "He's been the GOAT for so long, he's maintained the stats, we appreciate what he's brought to the game and how he's held the mantle since (Michael) Jordan left. Bron is one of them ones, we appreciate him, but I think his time is up — but we appreciate what he's done for the league."
James is entering his 23rd season in the NBA, and at the age of 40, continues to play at an elite level.
Last season, James averaged 24.4 points, 8.2 assists and 7.8 rebounds per game while shooting 51.3 percent from the field and 37.6 percent from deep. Those numbers were on par with his career averages of 27.0 points, 7.4 assists and 7.5 rebounds per game on 50.6 percent shooting from the field and 34.9 percent from deep.
It's clear James can still play at a high level, and do so while playing a majority of the season. The 21-time All-Star appeared in 70 games this past season after playing in 71 games the year before, his most since the 2017-18 season.
While Father Time doesn't appear to be catching James anytime soon, it remains to be seen how much longer he wants to keep playing.
It's likely James will want to leave the NBA on his own terms, and after an offseason of uncertainty — with the Lakers seemingly not wanting him past this year and allowing him to play as an expiring contract — the four-time MVP could decide to call it a career before entering free agency.
If James were to retire after this season, it's likely he would want to be celebrated with a farewell tour, similar to the one Kobe Bryant enjoyed in his final season. Thus, he would likely announce an impending retirement before the season, or at least early on in the year.
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