Lakers News: LeBron James Considering Retirement After Western Conference Finals Loss
In getting swept by the Denver Nuggets during the Western Conference Finals, Los Angeles Lakers All-Star small forward LeBron James was completely outclassed by two-time league MVP Nikola Jokic.
LA's devastating last-second Game 4 loss at home, caused in large part by some horrific offensive possessions James stewarded, is clearly bumming out the 20-year NBA vet, because, according to Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report (a frequent source for LA info), he's now contemplating retirement.
“I got a lot to think about," James said at the end of his postgame presser, per Jovan Buha of The Athletic. "Just personally, with me moving forward with the game of basketball, I got a lot to think about.”
Following his time at the podium, James elaborated (albeit tersely) to ESPN's Dave McMenamin. James was asked to clarify his remarks about what exactly he had to think about.
"If I want to continue to play," James said.
McMenamin pressed on, asking if he would seriously consider calling it a career before next season.
"I got to think about it," James offered.
At first blush, it does seem like strange timing. James may be fated to become the oldest player in the league next year, but he remains a terrific pro.
He's coming off yet another All-NBA, All-Star season, his 19th, and posted his typical otherworldly regular season stats (28.9 points on 50% shooting, 8.3 rebounds and 6.8 assists). He now possesses the record for most regular season and playoff points scored in league history, while continuing to produce at a high level. He and Anthony Davis just led their seventh-seeded team to the Western Conference Finals a year after missing the playoffs entirely. Though clearly looking a step slow, James still averaged 27.8 points, 10 assists, and 9.5 rebounds in the series. As Haynes notes, LA could easily carve out $29.6 million in available cap space to improve the team around him, which already is looking much better than it did pre-trade deadline, this summer. And, perhaps most importantly, the 38-year-old has a $46.9 million guaranteed deal for next season (he has a $50.7 million player option for 2024-25).
But when we take a deeper dive, there are some less exciting negative trends.
James once again missed a ton of contests during the regular season (27 this year) due to various injuries, and was laboring through a sore right foot during the entire postseason. He developed an unfortunate habit of late-game hero ball, forcing up awkward, doomed pull-up jumpers instead of engaging his teammates and reading opposing defenses, which cost his club dearly in the playoffs. He just finished his 20th season, on the very day the last other technically un-retired player from his draft class, fellow Hall of Famer and Laker alum Carmelo Anthony, announced his own retirement. The Chosen One has already proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that he's one of the top players in the history of the sport, having won four MVPs and four championships, while appearing in 10 NBA Finals. And he's certainly not wanting for money, as the first active NBA player to achieve a net worth of over $1 billion.
Perhaps most importantly, James has obviously lost a step. Though Los Angeles was defeated by an average of just six points a night in the sweep (making it a "close sweep," if that matters), it was pretty clear that LA's two best players were just no match for Denver's top two of Jokic and Jamal Murray. Jokic logged a triple-double for the series (27.8 points on 50.8% field goal shooting, 14.5 rebounds, and 11.8 assists a night) while playing surprisingly competent defense. Murray averaged 32.5 points on 52.7% field goal shooting, 6.3 rebounds and 5.3 assists.
James no longer makes All-NBA First Teams, in part because he can't stay healthy and in part because he's just not quite in that tier of the elite anymore. He hasn't been an All-Defensive Team honoree in almost a decade. LA never really had a shot in this series, in part because of the play of its two stars. If James can't win in the league's upper echelon, maybe he just doesn't want to do it at all.
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