Chris Paul confirmed over the weekend that the 2025/26 season will be his final year in the NBA, but his longtime friend LeBron James hasn’t made that same determination. Sources close to the Lakers star insist to Dave McMenamin of ESPN that James remains undecided on whether or not he’ll continue his career beyond this season.
McMenamin’s report comes within a larger story about James’ incredible streak of 21 consecutive All-NBA nods. If LeBron hopes to extend that record-setting streak to 22 seasons, he would have to appear in 63 of the Lakers’ remaining 66 games.
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As McMenamin points out, if James knew this were his final season, he may feel obligated not to take any games off – especially on the road – as long as he’s healthy. But if he thinks he’ll be back in 2026/27, a “farewell tour” wouldn’t be a consideration.
The Lakers have 11 back-to-backs between now and the end of the season, McMenamin notes, and while James has made a strong effort in recent years to suit up for both ends of those back-to-back sets, head coach J.J. Redick and the Lakers may take a more cautious approach this season, given that LeBron will turn 41 in December and has missed time with sciatica this fall.
“I don’t think an All-NBA appearance this year is going to make or break his résumé,” Redick said, adding that he hasn’t spoken to James about trying to extend that All-NBA streak.
Like Redick, agent Rich Paul said he hasn’t talked to his longtime client about the streak, but he doesn’t necessarily view an All-NBA spot in 2026 as a top priority either.
“Look, at 41 years of age, I hope he is not playing back-to-backs,” Paul told McMenamin.
As McMenamin writes, the most important thing that James could do this season for his legacy would be to win a fifth championship, and the Lakers may decide that managing his playing time over the course of the season gives them the best chance to have him healthy and at his best during the postseason.
Of course, besides reaching the 65-game mark, James would also have to continue playing at an All-NBA level in order to earn serious consideration for a 22nd berth. If he is playing at that level, regardless of whether or not he appears in 65 games, it would likely make him more inclined to put off retirement for another year.
James will earn about $52.6MM this season in the final year of his contract with the Lakers and isn’t eligible to sign a contract extension before next July. That means if he does decide he wants to continue playing in 2026/27, he’ll have to wait until he becomes an unrestricted free agent to sign his next deal, either with Los Angeles or another team.
11 more back-to-backs is stupid. Get a better schedule maker.
Started an easy schedule now the tough part comes.
Extremely easy. Complaining about 11 more back to backs when the Warriors have already play 5 back to backs just shows the ignorance of Lakers fans. And the Warriors still have 10 more to go
The Lakers have played 10 of their 16 games so far against teams with a winning record. They have also played 3 back to backs so far.
As reference OKC has only played 5 games against teams with a winning record.
Also, the Lakers have had lots of injuries to key players. Bron missed 14 games, Luka 4, Reaves 3.
This year every team has had injuries and that is still an easy schedule compared to other teams. OKC has had a very easy schedule is why the winning record is not a big deal right now.
The Lakers have not had an easy schedule. They played Wolves twice, Blazers twice (Blazers have beaten OKC, Nuggets, Warriors twice, and the Bucks), the Spurs (when they had Wemby and were healthy), the Heat, OKC, the Bucks (with Giannis), Warriors, and Hawks.
That is a tough (above average) schedule.
Go look at their Feb and March schedule. Now that will be the toughest part for them. Even the last 5 games will be tough with OKC twice. They better come out of 2025 healthy or its going to be a long year.
From now till the end of the year the lakers have the fifth easiest remaining strength of schedule.
OKC has the toughest. Dallas second toughest (as if they weren’t screwed enough), the Wolves, Warriors, and Nuggets 6-8 toughest schedules.
Google nba remaining strength of schedule. Yes, end of the year is going to be challenging schedule. By then this team should have built further chemistry and experience with all their new players (Luka, Ayton, LaRavia, Smart, Maxi, and even Vincent cause he was injured most of last year).
But between now and end of the year they have a relatively friendly schedule.
Somebody hates the warriors because they had the toughest schedule the first 20 games.
The warriors are at best a play-in team. They have the 7th toughest schedules from here going forward. They did not have anywhere close to the toughest schedule so far!
who had a tougher schedule? Played more games on the road than anyone in their division only Hawks had the same amount. Warriors had 5 back to back none as a home and home back to back.
Playing any back to backs is stupid. It diminishes the product and creates added injury risk for no reason. Get rid of back to backs which by proxy will get rid of teams playing 3 games in 4 days. The games should be about quality of team and performance not who has had to play 3 games in 4 days and who is coming off back to back rest days.
Lots of talk about playing 10 less games a season, but no one wants to take the pay cut. And now with the TV deals set it’s a moot point.
But if everyone is playing equivalent amount of back to backs there is some parity. Although, it does favor the younger teams, the ones with the deeper benches, the teams with less key players with injury history, and teams who are lucky to have more weak teams on their second nights.
The Clippers are majorly benefitting over the Lakers in that they are getting the stronger teams on the first nights (teams often play the Lakers and Clippers back to back) and the Lakers are getting them the second night this year.
Why would you expect complaints about the Warriors’ schedule under a Lakers article?
The Lakers have played 10 of their 16 games so far against teams with a winning record. They have also played 3 back to backs so far.
As reference OKC has only played 5 games against teams with a winning record.
Also, the Lakers have had lots of injuries to key players. Bron missed 14 games, Luka 4, Reaves 3.
He’ll be back for one last season. If this was it he’d be doing the fulll blown retirement tour
Think this is his last season and he just wants to announce it on his own terms probably at the end of the season. Don’t think he cares for the retirement tour season. He’s set so many records and most recently it was for most seasons played. He played with his son which is what he wanted to do before he retires. He’s now left the team with a positive future after they got Luka.
I’d rather see him go out on his own terms after this year then continue to try drag it out and either fall off at some stage or get to banged up by injuries.
I hope he plays until he loses to Father Time, otherwise what’s the point of next year?
Or he remembers how much everyone ever hated him for his silly “The Decision” thing and wants to erase that memory by leaving sooner than later.
LeBron cares about the attention more than any other player in the history of the NBA.
He definitely will want the retirement tour. He is probably leaving on playing another year at this point why he hasn’t announced it.
I think he goes back to the Cavs for his finale season. Or maybe the Lakers trade him there after Dec 15?
Ironically, LeBron has hurt his legacy somewhat because he has played so long cause of recency bias.
Yes, he has broken lots of records by playing so long, however, lots of players think of him as the current version, and forget that he was the best player in the league for like 16 straight years.
The conversation used to be is he the best or second best player ever (I definitely think Jordan is the GOAT) to now I hear lots of people talking about where on the top ten list he is on.
NBA is a team sport not an individual one, so it is important to be able to play with your teammates and not just be a ball hog. Lebron went from joke of the league online to “GOAT” in 2012 when they started the Klutch propaganda network to glaze him, when factually, Lebron was barely ever top 5. This media wave caused this inaccurate “GOAT” “#1” talk to begin with. Everyone before that thought he was top 20 all-time, but never #1.
Wilt, Steph, MJ, Kareem, TD and Shaq all clear him. Kobe probably does too. Jokic, Giannis and Wemby likely will clear him eventually too, Lebron is top 15 all time, not top 2. His style of play was boring and lacks highlight reel plays, unlike Curry.
Lebron was an overhyped Tim Duncan, if TD was a ballhog, the entire time. Both are elite, top 15 all-timers, but not #1.
Lebrons statue will be flopping backwards
What part of MA you from? I’m originally from Rockland.
Shout out massholes -> cambridge
No way LBJ doesn’t announce well in advance so he can have his goodbye tour. He’s way too arrogant to do anything like this privately.
hea gonna announce after the allstar game. or right before all star weekend
If he thinks he’s got a shot at making it to the finals, he won’t want a farewell tour, that would be a huge distraction.
My guess is he hangs it up and starts working on an NBA Europe franchise.
No idea how strong the Cavs pull is for him, or if he would ever play for exception money, and they currently have a solid starting 5. And of course he would never come off the bench…. then again, he probably wouldn’t mind cutting minutes in his 24th year, and SMOTY is about the only award he doesn’t have, and he’s truly a 5 position player, and going up against the rest of the league’s 2nd team? Fun thought!
As if…we all know LeBron would NEVER go out without a farewell tour, his ego is too big for that
Has Bron played yet …… ????
Maybe you should actually watch him play before you decide for him. What he should do.