Earlier this month, fans thought LeBron James might drop the major news that he was retiring from the NBA, only to learn that the Los Angeles Lakers superstar had a Hennessy ad. However, talk about when King James’ retirement will officially happen is constant, especially with his situation entering the new season.
With the Lakers set to open their season against the Golden State Warriors, LeBron will watch from the sidelines as his co-stars Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves battle Stephen Curry and company. The 40-year-old LeBron is dealing with a glute injury, which will keep him out for several weeks.
He’s seemingly defied age with his impressive performances on the basketball court, continuing to do it at an All-NBA level even as he’s reached 40. That said, several of his former opponents, Hall of Famers Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett, recently questioned if he’ll retire soon.
Garnett argued that LeBron still loves the game, and he doesn’t see him calling it quits. However, Pierce didn’t share the same sentiments and actually offered some solid advice about King James ending his playing career.
"I mean, I'm not really sold on that supporting cast yet as like a championship contender," Pierce said regarding the Lakers, adding, "So I just feel like, man, he should go out with his head up. He should just go out with no major injuries or surgeries."
“You don’t want to have that in your last years,” the Celtics great said on “KG Certified,” adding, “You know, so I think this is his last year. What more does he have to accomplish?”
Pierce said everyone could begin discussing who the greatest of all time is once LeBron finally retires. That would likely be the constant debate involving Michael Jordan vs. LeBron James as the G.O.A.T. of the NBA.
The Lakers made a massive trade last season, sending Anthony Davis to the Dallas Mavericks and bringing Luka Doncic to Los Angeles. The expectation is that Luka will become the team’s leader and top star as LeBron winds down his career.
Last season, LeBron averaged 24.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 8.2 assists, impressive stats for someone still playing in the NBA at 40. Based on those numbers, it’s clear he can still contribute at a high level when not injured.
Tuesday night will feature Luka back on the court without LeBron, and based on his offseason, Luka seems ready to show the NBA that he’s the best in the league.
King James could make his season debut sometime in mid-November, and most likely, he’ll base his retirement decision on how he’s feeling at the end of the season. That said, if injuries plague him or the team falls short of expectations in the playoffs, it seems a strong possibility that retirement will follow.
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