The future plans of LeBron James will once again be one of the biggest questions of the NBA offseason.
The Los Angeles Lakers were eliminated from the playoffs on Wednesday night by the Minnesota Timberwolves, and James, of course, had to address any retirement rumors during his press conference. He didn't give an answer for now, stating that he wants to further discuss his future with his family.
NBA insider Shams Charania doesn't think this is the end of James's career, though. According to Charania, the question is not if James will retire this offseason, but instead how much longer he will play beyond that.
"There's no expectation for LeBron James to retire. My understanding is that he will play at least another NBA season," Charania said on the Pat McAfee Show. "You think about next year 25-26, it'll be year 23, that would set a league record. ... The All-Star Game is in Los Angeles, he could potentially be playing in Los Angeles. There's a lot of stars that would align for next season, potentially if that's what LeBron James decides."
"There's no expectation for LeBron James to retire..
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) May 1, 2025
My understanding is that he will play at least another NBA season" ~ @ShamsCharania #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/unTTGf8Mkn
Charania noted that another factor could be James wanting to play in the NBA with his second son Bryce, who is set to begin his collegiate career at Arizona this fall. The young James could potentially be draft eligible in 2026, so the Lakers star could be waiting to see what happens there with his son.James is already competing with his oldest son Bronny on the Lakers.
There's a lot to factor in for James as he considers what to do for the 2025-26 season. All eyes will be on him waiting to hear what decision he makes this offseason, but there's a good chance we see him back on the NBA courts next season.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as NBA Insider Shams Charania Weighs In on LeBron James’s Possible Retirement Plan.
