LeBron James once again faced questions about his NBA future after the Los Angeles Lakers were eliminated from the playoffs by the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Following the Lakers’ 115-110 Game 4 loss, which ended the second-round sweep, the 41-year-old admitted he still doesn’t know if he’ll be back for another season.
“I think you asked me why [retirement]and answer questions. “I don’t think I ever went out and said, ‘Oh, retirement is coming,'” James said after the loss.” “About my future, I honestly don’t know. It’s something, it’s obviously just starting, it’s obviously losing [the series]. And I don’t know. I don’t know what the future holds for me.”
Despite the series ending in disappointment, James made it clear that he was proud of the effort he gave throughout the postseason.
“I gave up everything I could do,” said James. “I can go down and say, ‘S—, as much as I hate to lose obviously, I was locked into what we were supposed to do. … I tried to make sure our guys were locked into what we were supposed to do throughout the season, all 10 games. And obviously we messed up a little bit, but I don’t look at my year as a disappointment, that’s for sure.”
James plans to step down and review everything with his family before making a final decision to continue playing.
James said he plans to “reconfigure with my family and talk to them, and spend time with them” in the next few weeks.
For the first time during his tenure with the Lakers, James enters the offseason without a contract or player option attached to his future.
The four-time champion finished his twenty-third NBA season averaging 20.9 points, 7.2 assists and 6.1 rebounds during the regular season before picking up his play in the playoffs.
Even after all that he has accomplished, James admitted that the pursuit of another championship still drives him.
“I’ve done it all. I’ve seen it all,” said James. “Just being able to compete and try to win tournaments, I think that’s a motivating factor.”
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