LeBron James gets real about retirement talk after Lakers playoff exit

As soon as the Los Angeles Lakers' season came to an unexpected early ending Wednesday with a 103-96 defeat to the Minnesota Timberwolves, LeBron James' future immediately became the main topic of conversation. Would this loss really be the final game of James' illustrious career?

It could be his last. Or it couldn't be. James answered the retirement question with a shrug.

“I don’t know. I don't have the answer to that,” James said about how long he will continue to play. “It's something I’ll sit down with my wife and my support group and kind of just talk through it and see what happens. And just have conversations with myself on how long I want to continue to play.

"I don’t know the answer to that right now, to be honest.”

"I don't have the answer to that right now. ... we'll see."

LeBron on how much longer he plans to play pic.twitter.com/PwqUrMkKHS
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) May 1, 2025

The 40-year-old James has a player option for the 2025-26 season, which would be the 23rd of the 21-time All-Star's career. He issued a "no comment" when asked how taxing it was to play without a true center in the Lakers' small-ball lineup, and he refused to give any thoughts on the team's roster needs.

"S---, I've got a lot to think about myself," James told reporters. "I don't know where I stand right now."

James did elaborate in earnest about the performance of first-year head coach JJ Redick. He gave his former podcast partner a five-star review.

"Whatever happens, JJ is going to continue to grow," James said. "He had a hell of a campaign for a rookie coach. ... That's one thing for sure that we know — a great up-and-coming coach that will be great for many years."

LeBron on Lakers future and JJ Redick:

“Whatever happens; JJ (Redick) is going to continue to grow. He had a hell of a campaign for a rookie coach… That’s one thing for sure that we know — a great up and coming coach that will be great for many years.”
— Brett Siegel (@BrettSiegelNBA) May 1, 2025

It's hard to believe that James — who entered the NBA in 2003 with arguably more fanfare than any other prospect in league history — would walk away from the game without a proper farewell tour. But it's still a possibility because, as James said, he doesn't know what his next step will be.