Former Teammate Says NBA Isn't Ready for Life Without Lakers' LeBron James

After the NBA All-Star break, the Los Angeles Lakers will get back to work on Friday against the visiting Los Angeles Clippers with 28 regular-season games left on the schedule.

Although superstar LeBron James has yet to make a decision about his future beyond the 2025-26 NBA season, all signs point to the four-time NBA champion either heading into retirement or leaving the Lakers in free agency, with the Cleveland Cavaliers being a likely destination for what will likely be his final season.

Kendrick Perkins: NBA Not Ready for Life After LeBron James

Kendrick Perkins if the NBA is ready for life after LeBron James:

“Is the NBA ready for life after LeBron? Hell no. Hell no. They’re not…. We come on television every damn day and if LeBron James played the night before, we gonna talk about LeBron James the next day”

(Via… pic.twitter.com/ovRZoiTaH5
— NBA Courtside (@NBA__Courtside) February 16, 2026

Former Cavaliers teammate-turned-ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins recently appeared on First Take and said he believes the league is not ready for life without the superstar forward.

“Is the NBA ready for life after LeBron? Hell no. Hell no," Perkins said. "They’re not. Let me say this, Windy (Brian Windhorst), you brought up a point about going to the NBA Finals and winning championships, that’s only a small percentage of what LeBron James has done for the NBA, as far as carrying the torch and wearing the cape for over two decades of being the face of the league.

"When you and go and look at his social media following, we're talking over 200 million-plus followers. Name me another athlete that's coming close, or another basketball player, should I say, that's coming close to that? We can't.

"When you talk about packing arenas on the road, LeBron James does that in every arena that they pull up in that's not Crypto.com [Arena]. He's been doing that for the last two-plus decades. When you talk about jersey sales, when you talk about selling shoes, along with delivering on the floor and making sure you don't disappoint the fans and being available, he has done that. When you talk about things outside of basketball, and keeping his resume clean and being able to carry the face, and to be that positive influence in everyone's life, and to all the kids when it comes to being a role model, he has checked all the boxes."

There's no question at this point that James will retire sooner rather than later, even though he's been reluctant to announce his plans, claiming he hasn't decided what he wants to do.

James' contract with the Lakers will expire at the end of the 2025-26 campaign, and it's not beyond the realm of possibility that he re-signs for one more season, but that might be the least likely scenario, especially if the Cavaliers are willing to welcome him back with open arms.