LeBron James: 4 scenarios for his historic season 23 in the NBA

King LeBron: The Beginning of the End or a New Chapter?

LeBron James’ signals in the locker room before the Lakers’ preseason game in Palm Desert, California, were minimal. His golden number 23 uniform and a triangular cushion on his seat. A cushion that, despite not playing in the game, fulfilled its function on the bench. Of the 42 players on the Lakers and Suns training rosters, 22 were born in the 2000s and 19 in the 1990s. James, for his part, was born in 1984, five months before Suns coach Jordan Ott. The 40-year-old star did not participate in the exhibition game due to a glute irritation, according to Lakers coach JJ Redick. However, the cushion was his companion throughout the night, both in the locker room and on the bench during the game. When James finally appeared in the locker room, with a t-shirt displaying the slogan “Forever King” from his latest Nike advertising campaign, a reporter asked him if he was ready for his unprecedented 23rd season. Before James could answer, Lakers guard Austin Reaves chimed in.

“You have five more seasons left,” Reaves said.

Austin Reaves

James’ response was a smile, prompting the reporter to ask: “Why not six or seven, to get to 30?” Reaves added: “Yes, set a record!” To which James replied with a smile: “I already set a record.” Of the approximately 5,000 players who have played in the NBA, James is the only one who has remained for 23 seasons. In addition, he has scored more regular season points (42,184) and playoff points (8,289) than anyone in league history. He has also been an All-Star 21 times and was part of the first active father-son duo to share the court with his son Bronny James. His achievements, including four MVP awards, four championships, and four Finals MVPs, are well documented. But now, in his eighth season with the Lakers, the question is whether time is running out or if he will seek to extend his legacy. James is playing with an expiring contract for the first time, after exercising his $52.6 million option for the 2025-26 season. At Lakers Media Day, the first question he answered was about his retirement.

“I don’t know,” said James, who earned second-team All-NBA honors in his 22nd season. “I’m excited about the opportunity to play the game I love for another season. And however the journey unfolds this year, I’m very involved. Because, as you said, I don’t know when the end will be, but I know it’s much sooner than later.”

LeBron James

The Lakers, who will be without James for the next three to four weeks due to sciatica, are coming off a season in which they secured third place in the competitive Western Conference, but fell to the Timberwolves in five games. After James chose to stay in L.A., his agent, Rich Paul, issued a statement suggesting that James might end his career elsewhere. “LeBron wants to compete for a championship. He knows the Lakers are building for the future. He understands that, but he values a realistic opportunity to win it all… We want to evaluate what is best for LeBron at this stage of his life and career.”

Here are the four possibilities for James and the Lakers this unprecedented season:

Retire as a Laker after the 2025-26 season

James’ time with the Lakers has been marked by injuries, missing 124 games in seven seasons, compared to the 71 he missed in his first 15 years in the league. The franchise has had four coaches and the management has had mixed results in its trades. However, there have been notable successes. The Lakers won a championship in 2020, and James became the first player to win Finals MVP with three different teams. The franchise honored James when he surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the NBA’s all-time leading scorer in 2023. Furthermore, in 2024, the Lakers drafted Bronny, allowing James to fulfill his wish of playing with his son. Before the 2024 draft, the Golden State Warriors inquired about the possibility of a trade for James, but the Lakers, through Paul, denied interest. After the trade talks ended, James expressed his commitment to the franchise: “I am a Laker, and I am happy and have been very happy being a Laker for the last six years and I hope it continues to be that way.” The Lakers’ president of basketball operations and general manager, Rob Pelinka, made the franchise’s stance clear in his annual press conference: “We would love for LeBron’s story to be that he retired as a Laker.” If James keeps playing well, it could help his desire to play for the best possible Lakers team this season. The Lakers can trade their 2031 or 2032 first-round pick this season and are entitled to swap picks in five seasons, but they might be reluctant to use those assets if James is close to leaving.

There are a few clues to keep in mind:

• Nike’s “Forever King” campaign uses the past to refer to James’ career.
• The Cavaliers’ “Classic Edition” uniform this season is the same one James wore when he entered the league in 2003-04.
• The Lakers played against the Warriors in their first and last game of the season, a possible tribute.
• On his Instagram account, James posted a video with the song “It Ain’t Over ‘Til It’s Over” by Lenny Kravitz.

Renew with the Lakers after the 2025-26 season

Pelinka’s response about the possibility of James retiring with the Lakers was significant, as he answered a different question than the one he was asked. He was asked if the Lakers would be interested in re-signing James in the summer of 2026. L.A. is expected to have approximately $50 million in cap space, which would be absorbed by James if he sought a new maximum contract. James will be able to sign a contract for up to three years for $188 million, with a starting salary of $58.1 million for 2026-27, according to Bobby Marks, NBA expert. On the other hand, there is the question of how his time syncs with that of the other two best players on the team, both in their twenties. Both Doncic and Reaves enjoy playing with James and want the partnership to continue, according to sources. Doncic, who idolized James, enjoys their partnership and believes James is vital for L.A. to win now. Furthermore, he is not intimidated by the spectacle that could accompany James at the end of his career, as he experienced a similar situation with Dirk Nowitzki. If the Lakers win the championship this season, will James see it as a perfect ending, or will he want to return to defend it and tie Michael Jordan with six?

Request a transfer or termination in January or February of the 2025-26 season

Paul’s statement in June established James’s ultimate priority: to win. That means that if L.A. is having problems (whether due to injuries, roster issues, or simply because the team isn’t good enough), James could choose to leave. As James has a no-trade clause in his contract, any deal would require his approval. The problem is that there aren’t many viable destinations for him. Cleveland, which would represent a second and perhaps last homecoming, would need to send almost 90 million dollars in salaries for a trade to work, and the deal would have to involve several teams because the Cavs cannot exceed the second salary cap in a James trade. Due to their salary limitations, the Cavs also couldn’t sign James if he reached a buyout agreement with L.A. The Warriors and the Knicks also couldn’t sign James in that scenario. There are also the Mavericks. James has won titles with Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving, and has a close relationship with coach Jason Kidd and several members of his staff. But the Mavs would also need to send an exorbitant amount of money for a deal to work. Dallas is also currently a team with a second salary cap, and would need to trade $12 million in salaries without receiving anything in return to become a termination destination for James.

Signing elsewhere as a free agent after the 2025-26 season

It is predicted that 10 teams will have significant cap space in the summer of 2026, including the Nets, Clippers, and Bulls, and there could be options for James that are currently unpredictable. However, it would be a major life change to leave Southern California when Savannah (his wife) and Zhuri (his daughter) live there, Bronny has a contract with the Lakers, and Bryce (his son) is a short flight from the University of Arizona. In addition, James will be in a group of free agents that potentially includes other stars like Kevin Durant, Trae Young and James Harden, as well as impact players like Reaves, Draymond Green, Bradley Beal, Norman Powell and Coby White, so it is not certain that he will receive unlimited interest throughout the league. So, James’ situation remains undecided, and it is still to be determined whether his 23rd season will be a countdown to the end of his career or simply the bridge to a 24th, or more. Or if his body will make the decision for him. “Everyone tries to dictate when it’s over, and the reality is that no one really knows,” said a source close to James. For his part, James says he’s not worried about the future for now. “I don’t worry about yesterday and I don’t try to focus on what the future holds,” he said. “It’s about staying present… Because, as I said, I don’t know when the end will be, but I know it’s not as far away as ‘The Godfather 2’. So I know I have to stay present.”