LeBron James' retirement 'real possibility' after playoffs, NBA legend might forgo farewell tour, per report

According to team and league sources, the Lakers have not closed the door on James returning next season. While it's been the organization's public position that it hopes James retires as a Laker, the run in March was the clearest example of the basketball advantages of pairing him with Dončić and Reaves.

"It was real," one Lakers executive said of the stretch, the winning and the chemistry.

The fact that James agrees with that assessment is crucial, as league sources say he was intrigued and encouraged by what they accomplished during that stretch. And considering the priority he's still placing on winning, that development — and the what-might-have-been feeling that came with the injuries that followed — appears to have reshaped his view of remaining with the Lakers.

As has been noted elsewhere, another important variable is money. The Lakers will be almost $50 million under the salary cap, but they'd like to re-sign Reaves and add depth to the roster. Is James ready to take a pay cut, or does he still want the max? If he is going to take a pay cut, is the non-taxpayer midlevel (likely the most he'd get from the Warriors) enough? The taxpayer midlevel? The minimum?

Around the league, it is believed that James will only leave the Lakers if he thinks he has a real shot at winning a title at his next destination, per The Athletic. If he's not willing to sign for the midlevel of the minimum, though, it will be mechanically difficult to join a contender.

James will turn 42 before the end of this calendar year but can clearly still perform at a high level. This season, he appeared in 60 games and averaged 20.9 points, 7.2 assists and 6.1 rebounds in 33.2 minutes per game. His son, Bronny, plays for the Lakers and is signed through next season, with a team option in 2027-28. Returning to Los Angeles seems to make more sense than it did a few months ago, but nothing is set in stone. And if recent history is any indication, he won't necessarily reveal his intentions at the end of this season, either.