LeBron James Could Leave Lakers Before Retirement: Report

21-time All-Star Los Angeles Lakers power forward LeBron James had a solid individual showing against the Minnesota Timberwolves in a doomed five-game first round playoff series loss, but the 6-foot-9 superstar has a big decision to make this summer after coming up short in the first round for the second straight season.

L.A. fell to Minnesota in Wednesday's series-ending Game 5, 103-96, at Crypto.com Arena.

Final pic.twitter.com/BbMHMWuOwr
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) May 1, 2025

In the five games, James averaged 40.8 minutes a night. And it was clear that he was feeling every second of that heavy load by the fourth quarters of those contests, when the 40-year-old often looked gassed and without his typical lift.

He may have been a six-time All-Defensive Teamer in his prime, but James struggled to consistently summon that kind of defensive intensity along the perimeter in the Timberwolves matchups.

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The four-time league MVP averaged 25.4 points on .489/.357/.775 shooting splits, 9.0 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 2.0 steals and 1.8 blocks a night in the losing effort.

Now, James holds a $52.6 million player option on his 2025-26 season with Los Angeles. His eldest son, Bronny, is under team control through at least 2026-27.

People close to LeBron James aren’t ruling out the possibility of him finishing his career elsewhere, per @TheAthletic

“So, might James think about finishing his career elsewhere in pursuit of a fifth ring? When posed that question, both league sources close to James and team… pic.twitter.com/IdMLfabNRj
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) May 2, 2025

Per Jovan Buha and Sam Amick of The Athletic, James is apparently weighing all his options. He's won four titles over the course of a record-breaking 22-year career (and counting). With five-time All-NBA First Team guard Luka Doncic, 26, now the face of the Lakers, it's unclear how comfortably this duo can coexist on defense.

James may be open to looking around for his next opportunity at a fifth title. Staring down the prospect of a record-extending 23rd NBA season in 2025-26, he has little time to lose.

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“So, might James think about finishing his career elsewhere in pursuit of a fifth ring?" Buha and Amick write. "When posed that question, both league sources close to James and team sources would not rule that possibility out. And that was before the revealing elimination game.”

The Lakers clearly need rim protection and better wing defense if they want to return to title contention any time soon. Whether or not L.A. can acquire the necessary help and still find a way to balance the minutes of James, Doncic, and their other defensively-challenged star, Austin Reaves, remains to be seen.

More Los Angeles Lakers News:

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JJ Redick Sends Strong Message to Lakers After Minnesota Playoff Series Loss

Rob Pelinka Talks Lakers' Offseason Priority Other Than Big Man

Anthony Edwards, Timberwolves Waste No Time Taking Shots At Lakers

Western Conference Executive Compares Lakers' Austin Reaves to Undrafted Hall of Famer

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