NBA Insiders Break Down LeBron James’ Offseason Options as Retirement Nears

Dec 18, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward Lebron James (23) shoots during the second quarter against the Utah Jazz at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Nicoll-Imagn Images | Chris Nicoll-Imagn Images

There's a lot of NBA season left, as the Lakers played just their 26th game of the season Thursday night, earning a win over the Utah Jazz.

However, despite the long season ahead, there is a major existential question facing the Lakers that only one man can answer.

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What will star forward LeBron James decide to do after this season is over?

The 23-year veteran, now just days away from turning 41, has yet to publicly announce whether this season is his last. James missed the first 14 games of the season with a sciatica injury in his back, stoking rumors that this season would be it, before returning and playing good — not great — basketball so far this season.

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If James does decide to run it back for another season, it will put the Lakers in a very interesting situation. Because the team is expected to offer guard Austin Reaves a 5-year, $241 million maximum contract and Luka Doncic is also on a max contract (three years, $165 million), paying James what he's been paid through the years could put the Lakers at both a competitive and a financial disadvantage.

Where will LeBron sign this summer?@DraftKings #DKPartner pic.twitter.com/iMlnccBJnO

— The Ryen Russillo Show (@TheRyenRussillo) December 17, 2025

"You can't have a team where you've got three gigantic salaries where those three guys aren't studs," ESPN's Brian Windhorst said on "The Ryen Russillo Show," now on Barstool Sports. "It's not realistic for a 41-year-old, even if he's the greatest 41-year-old athlete the world has ever seen to make the salary that he's making."

For the first time in his Lakers career, James is playing on an expiring contract, a near-max deal worth $104 million over two years. Windhorst thinks that if James wants to remain in Los Angeles, he'll have to agree to take a much more team-friendly deal.

'LeBron Has Been Very Attuned to Maximizing His Salary'

"For the last 15 years, LeBron has been very attuned to maximizing his salary because he felt he was underpaid," Windhorst said. "So, the max has been very important to LeBron, so obviously that's going to have to be compromised if he wants to be a Laker, because I don't think the Lakers could do that."

Ahead of the NBA season, James said he hasn't put a "specific timetable" on his retirement, and it's unclear if his approach has changed over a quarter into the season. The day that he makes his decision public will be a busy day for NBA media, the Lakers front office and basketball fans worldwide.

For more news and notes on the Los Angeles Lakers, visit Los Angeles Lakers on SI.