How the Houston Rockets Influenced LeBron James’ Final Decision

On Friday, it was announced that LeBron James would be signing a two-year, $8 million contract with the Philadelphia 76ers. This is expected to be the final chapter in James’ playing career.

Last season, James averaged 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 7.2 assists over 60 games with the Los Angeles Lakers. While the 22-time All-Star is still a bona fide starter at 41 years old, he fell short of an All-NBA Team selection for the first time in over two decades.

In a recent episode of the Game Over podcast, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul suggested that the Lakers defeating the Houston Rockets in the first round of the NBA Playoffs swayed James away from retirement.

"That series, in my opinion, convinced him to keep playing… I think if they somehow got swept or lost 4-1 in that series, it could be different. I think that gave us another ride."

Apr 21, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant (7) looks on from the court during the final minutes of game two of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at against the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Rockets vs. Lakers

With Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves sidelined by injury, the Lakers prevailed over the Rockets 4-2. Taking on a familiar leadership role, James averaged 23.2 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 8.3 assists throughout the series.

Los Angeles’ playoff victory over the Rockets may have come as a meaningful confidence boost for the veteran, as he had to figuratively pass the Lakers’ franchise torch to Doncic. The 27-year-old Doncic finished fourth in MVP voting and was named to the All-NBA First Team.

Houston came out on the losing end, though it’s worth noting that Kevin Durant, Fred VanVleet, and Steven Adams were unavailable for the majority of the series. Durant was the Rockets’ leading scorer last season with 26.0 points per game.

In the Lakers’ next playoff series, the team was swept by the Oklahoma City Thunder. James still averaged a productive 23.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 8.0 assists per game, though the crushing defeat put a clear ceiling on Los Angeles' championship aspirations.

This quick exit at the hands of the then-reigning NBA champion Thunder may have cemented a need for change, as the Lakers have now missed the conference finals for three consecutive years.

Although the Rockets missed an opportunity to send James into retirement, the franchise will still benefit from him taking his talents back to the Eastern Conference. After finishing as the fifth seed in the Western Conference and retaining its core, Houston is expected to be back in the playoff picture next season.

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