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HOUSTON, TEXAS - MARCH 18: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts to a basket against the Houston Rockets during the first half at Toyota Center on March 18, 2026 in Houston, Texas.
LeBron James is set to become a free agent this summer, potentially set to leave the Los Angeles Lakers after a historically strong tenure with the team as they move forward with a future led by Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.
However, James remains an impactful player, and as he just tied Robert Parish’s record for the most games played in NBA history, one of his former teammates, Richard Jefferson, believes the Lakers could be in a lot of trouble when or if the 41-year-old leaves Los Angeles after this season.
Jefferson also claimed that James could play up to 25 seasons in the NBA, on the condition that the league’s all-time leading scorer would have to take even more of a backseat than he currently is with the Lakers, but held firm that the team might be in for a brutal awakening without him.
Richard Jefferson Sends LeBron James Warning To Lakers
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HOUSTON, TEXAS – MARCH 18: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on during the second half against the Houston Rockets atToyota Center on March 18, 2026 in Houston, Texas.
While James is the oldest player in the league, he remains extremely impactful as seen with his triple-double for the team in their last win over the Miami Heat.
Still, the expectation is that James will leave the Lakers in free agency this summer, rumored to return to the Cleveland Cavaliers for a retirement tour in the final stage of his illustrious career.
And while some fans believe the team would be better without James, as some of the on-court statistics show with him, Doncic, and Reaves, Jefferson doesn’t think it’s that simple, and that taking James off the team won’t immediately turn Los Angeles into a stronger title contender than they are now.
“There’s always those Kobe Laker fans that are like, ‘We not gonna miss (James),'” Jefferson said on his podcast. “I’m like, you’re not gonna miss a dude that brought you a championship, kept the Lakers scoring record, like a Laker record, took you to a conference final?”
Jefferson added that, like when Shaquille O’Neal and Pau Gasol left the Lakers and they only had Kobe Bryant, it took the team a while to get back into championship contention.
“There was a gap between Magic and Shaq and Kobe. There was a gap between Shaq and Kobe and Kobe and Pau (Gasol). There was a gap between Kobe and Pau and Bron and AD,” Jefferson added. “When Bron leaves, there’s going to be a gap between — it’s already — it was 2020. We at 2026 now. There’s going to be another championship gap.”
Granted, the Lakers do have Doncic and Reaves, but the team will look a lot different next season without the impact, leadership, and experience of James, should he leave in free agency this summer.
Jefferson Echoes Kevin Durant With Bold LeBron Claim
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GettyHOUSTON, TEXAS – MARCH 16: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts during the game against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center on March 16, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images)
Speaking on a separate occasion, Jefferson also said that he believes James can play up to 25 seasons in the NBA. The star is already in his 23rd season, and while he has shown some signs of slowing down, he remains extremely impactful on the court for his age.
“Yeah, 100% I think it’s a possibility,” Jefferson said on James playing 25 seasons in the NBA. “But now, it’s not just an acceptance of, ‘can he do it?’ Is he willing to take the role that would most likely be required for that? If you were like, ‘Bron, you can play until 25 years. But your last year, you’re going to average 15 points.’ Is that something that he’s willing to do? I don’t know.”
Kevin Durant recently made a similar comment about James, saying that, “he could play for another 4–5 years, to be honest.”
James himself has yet to publicly comment about his future, and while he has hinted at retirement in the past, the 41-year-old has yet to announce his plans after this season.
His performance has tailed off a bit, specifically this season, now the third option for the Lakers behind Doncic and Reaves, but as seen with his 19 points, 15 rebounds, and ten assists against the Heat, it’s not like he’s a negative on the court.
“He set a standard for himself, we expect that standard for him,” Jefferson added. “And so it’s more about what he’s willing to accept, and the role he’s willing to. And only he knows that.”
If James does leave for the Cavaliers as a free agent this summer, there is the expectation that he would take a backseat to their other two stars. However, as has been the case for his entire career, he’s never been one to leave a bit left in the tank.
James’ future in the NBA remains uncertain, both as it relates to his next team and how long he’ll play.