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Fear not, NBA fans, LeBron James is returning for a 21st season.
The Los Angeles Lakers star announced during Wednesday’s ESPYs broadcast that he is coming back in 2023-24.
It seemed like he might be announcing his retirement for a moment, but he said, “The day I can’t give the game everything on the floor is the day I’ll be done. Lucky for you guys, that day is not today.”
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“Lucky for you guys, that day is not today.”
Go off, Bron 😂 pic.twitter.com/4X1Fqs0PqX
Entering this past year, the odds looked strong that he’d ultimately extend his career.
The 38-year-old was showing his age a bit more, especially as it related to his durability, but he continued to perform at a high level. He also reaffirmed to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin in January his desire to team up with son Bronny, who’s eligible to enter the NBA in 2024.
In 55 games this season, James averaged 28.9 points, 8.3 rebounds and 6.8 assists and shot 50 percent from the field. He was an All-Star and an All-NBA selection for the 19th time. In February, he passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to become the NBA’s all-time leading scorer.
With the Lakers turning things around in the second half, everything seemed to be going according to plan.
Once Los Angeles got swept by the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals, though, retirement looked like a plausible path for James for the first time.
“I’m simply not sure if I’ll be back in the fall when the season begins,” he told Bleacher Report’s Chris Haynes immediately after his team’s Game 4 defeat. “I have a lot to think about.”
To some extent, you couldn’t help but feel James was being a prisoner of the moment. His season had just ended, he was playing through a foot injury, and he had clearly exhausted himself mentally and physically.
McMenamin reported this detail in the immediate aftermath of Game 4:
“A source close to James told ESPN that L.A.’s postseason run was taxing on the Lakers star in various ways: the long flights and physical play in the Memphis Grizzlies series; the emotional and mental fatigue in the Golden State series from taking down his old foes; and giving everything he had left to give against Denver and still losing the series 4-0.”
In terms of his playing future, James’ mindset was bound to evolve as he had time to decompress and recharge his batteries.
For the Lakers, his return was their only possible path to an 18th championship in the near term.
General manager Rob Pelinka clearly operated in this offseason with the belief James was sticking around because he prioritized continuity and marginal improvements over taking another big trade swing.
Rui Hachimura, Austin Reaves and D’Angelo Russell all re-signed with the team. Gabe Vincent, Taurean Prince, Jaxson Hayes and Cam Reddish are the new additions. Altogether, Pelinka did well when L.A. didn’t have a lot of money to spend on outside free agents.
James was paying close attention too.
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Bron recapping the Lakers free agency moves on his IG story 💰 pic.twitter.com/pedRIxh2ki
If nothing else, the Lakers are as good now as they were to end last year, and that’s nothing to scoff at following their post-trade deadline rejuvenation.
While they aren’t the firm championship favorites, they’re a strong contender for a top-four seed, and their conference finals appearance illustrated how anything can happen once they’re in the playoffs.
When it comes to James, his long-term status in L.A. will continue to be a storyline leading up to next summer. Pelinka and the front office know his 2024-25 player option looms large, and they’ll cross that bridge when it comes.
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