Alex Becker
After last night’s 113-111 loss to the Denver Nuggets, LeBron James and the Lakers are packing their bags. Despite the sweep, the headline after the game wasn’t that LeBron was being sent home, but whether or not he would stay there for good.
In a post-game press conference, LeBron said he “has a lot to think about” going forward with the game of basketball. These remarks obviously came to the surprise of many as James was clearly hinting at the possibility of retirement.
Later after the game, ESPN asked James to clarify his statement to which he confirmed he would be using the offseason to think about whether or not he wants to continue to play. According to a report from TNT and Bleacher Report insider Chris Haynes, LeBron is expected to consider full-on retirement and “take his time” with the decision.
This information is a complete shock to millions of NBA fans as King James has previously said he would continue to play until his son LeBron “Bronny” James Jr. enters the league, in hopes the two could team up and play together. Bronny is set to start his freshman year at USC in the fall.
I think I can speak for everyone when I say that there is absolutely no chance in hell that LeBron retires. As much as I love LeBron (I’m not gay, but if given the opportunity I’d totally have sex with the King), he is probably the second biggest attention whore in the league behind wannabe-thug Ja Morant. We all know LeBron will do anything to remain in the spotlight and this is just his newest ploy. I don’t really understand it because the media is going to suck him off regardless of what he does, but nevertheless in recent years it’s hard to ignore Jame’s quest to always be trending on Twitter. My guess is that he didn’t want the narrative to be “Lakers swept by a former fat Serbian kid” and instead changed it to “will the league lose its beloved king?”
The answer to that question is resounding “no.” First of all, we all know LeBron wants to play with Bronny. He’s made it abundantly clear and at this point he is only two years away from it coming to fruition. Quitting now just wouldn’t make sense.
On top of that, do you really think LeInstagram is going to walk away without a farewell tour? Fat chance. You already know LeBron’s going to milk his final season more than the WNBA milked the whole Brittney Griner situation. He is the king of attention, no way he disappears like a fart in the wind, instead expect him to float around like a turd in a swimming pool, swirling around for what seems to be an eternity.
For anyone that thinks these claims may be serious, you are flat out delusional. He clearly isn’t leaving because of his age. He just played a full 48 minutes last night, dropping 40 points with only one assist shy of a triple-double. Obviously he can’t do that every night like he used to, but don’t tell me he has no gas left in the tank.
Also, sidenote, who the hell is Chris Haynes anyway? Dude said he has inside information that LeBron “will take his time” to evaluate his options. What a load of crap. Let me get an actual source on that like Woj or Brian Windhorst, not some guy that works for TNT. At that point I truly only trust Ernie Johnson.
So realistically, here are LeBron’s options. He has a one-year option left with the Lakers, meaning he can play the final year of his contract, leave and become a free agent, or retire. Some are saying he will retire for a year, wait for Bronny and then come back. Others suggest he could leave LA and find a new home until Bronny enters. And then of course, the majority think this is straight up cap and he will play his next year as a Laker. I think the last option is most probable.
Bronny is staying in LA to go to USC and his other son Bryce is still in high school in North Hollywood, so it’s pretty safe to say that family-man LeBron won’t leave to go to another team across the country. Could he retire and come back when Bronny is ready? I guess so, but I truly don’t see it happening. Like I said before, LeBron lives for the spotlight and the easiest way for him to retain it is to keep playing basketball. He could go executive produce some silly cable TV game show again or pay someone to write his autobiography for him, but I think he’ll save those schemes for when he is actually out of the league.
See you next season, King.
