LeBron James could retire from the NBA as early as next season, according to ESPN insider Shams Charania. The revelation was made during a live discussion with Stephen A. Smith about the Los Angeles Lakers' prospects of clinching this season's NBA title.
Currently in his 22nd NBA season, James has steered the Lakers to a promising start with a 7-4 record after 11 games.
However, the LA team have been in the spotlight not just for their performance but also due to the presence of James' son Bronny, who was drafted by the Lakers and became the first son of an NBA player to play alongside his father in a game.
LeBron, who turns 40 at the end of this season, is claimed by Charania to have one more season left before he retires.
If he does retire then, he will be 41 and will have completed 23 professional seasons. The Lakers, despite accusations of nepotism from NBA observers, have assembled a team that Charania believes could vie for a championship this season.
With Anthony Davis as the lynchpin, new head coach JJ Redick has implemented a system that appears to leverage the strengths of his superstars while creating opportunities for role players.
The decision to bring Redick on board has seemingly been a masterstroke for James, who is currently boasting the highest three-pointer shooting percentage of his career (.459) and the highest free throw percentage (.789).
Although he's not as heavily utilised as in his early career, James still clocks about 35 minutes per game and is averaging the second-most assists per game in his career.
Davis, on the other hand, is leading the team in points per game and rebounds per game, remaining relatively injury-free after several setbacks over the years. Averaging just under 35 minutes per game, Davis has been hailed as a potential MVP candidate by James.
The duo are now chasing their second NBA championship together, having clinched the 2020 title in the bubble after the season was halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Another victory would give James a total of five championships, making him the first player in NBA history to win that many titles with three different teams.
