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LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 20: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on prior to their game against the Los Angeles Clippers at Crypto.com Arena on February 20, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Luiza Moraes/Getty Images)
NBA fans will have to wait until the offseason to know for sure if LeBron James will return next season or call it quits with a retirement. James has talked about his career winding down, but he’s yet to say anything official about retiring at the end of this season. The Los Angeles Lakers still get All-Star play from LeBron, despite taking a step back due to his older age in his 40s.
The Athletic’s Dan Woike revealed that James will likely not make a real decision until after this season ends:
“If James doesn’t want to play anymore, those career-defining decisions — leaving Cleveland for Miami, returning home, joining the Lakers — weren’t made until well after seasons ended. While there’s a chance that James knows which way he’s leaning, one league source said James is also smart enough to know it would be foolish to make any permanent decisions in the emotional fog of an 82-game season.”
Woike’s source confirmed his suspicion that LeBron will wait until the offseason before making the big decision. Previous seasons joining the Miami Heat, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Lakers all saw James shaking up the basketball world, but he didn’t make those plans until he was already eliminated from the NBA Playoffs to end his season.
LeBron Has Long Offseason Of Change
One guarantee for the unpredictable offseason for LeBron features him having to make a big change in some form. Retirement would see the iconic player calling it quits after joining the league all the way back in the 2003 Draft over two decades ago.
If James decides to keep playing, it remains likely that he’ll have to find a new home. The Lakers are prioritizing building around Luka Doncic for the betterment of their future. LeBron has felt like the odd man out this season with more rumors about the franchise being content with losing him.
James must take a significant pay cut to remain with the Lakers and play at least one more season on the team. The most realistic scenario is LeBron joining a new team, and it would be the biggest story of the offseason to add excitement for next season.
How Does LeBron Want To End His Career?
Brian Windhorst recently reported that he sees a realistic chance of James taking less money and signing for a minimum. However, it is hard to see the Lakers getting away with that since LeBron will only do this to contend for an NBA Championship next season.
James is still playing at a high level, and winning another ring is the biggest driving force for someone at the top of NBA history like himself. Some pundits have the named the Cleveland Cavaliers, Golden State Warriors, and New York Knicks as ideal teams.
Regardless, most fans hope that LeBron will announce his retirement ahead of time to set up a farewell tour in his final season. Much like Kobe Bryant, Dirk Nowitzki and Dwyane Wade, James having a retirement season would create massive box office results and give his fans a real chance to see him one final time.