LeBron James reflects on his 23rd NBA season with the Lakers, noting it felt different despite a playoff sweep by the Oklahoma City Thunder. He considers retirement and will be a free agent at the end of June.
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Losing in the NBA playoffs can be painful. Losing in the form of a sweep can be devastating. LeBron James doesn't see it that way this time around.
The Los Angeles Lakers went spiraling out of the playoffs with four consecutive losses to the reigning-champion Oklahoma City Thunder, a result they never wanted but likely feared after going into the second-round series without Luka Doncic.
For James, the future is a mystery. Retirement is still on the table, and he's set to be a free agent at the end of June. As he ponders his future, he told reporters Monday night that he saw his 23rd season as being different than every other in his long NBA career.
Here's what James had to say after the Lakers were eliminated.
LeBron James mentioned that his 23rd season felt different from his previous 22 seasons, though he did not elaborate on specific reasons.
The Los Angeles Lakers were swept in the playoffs by the Oklahoma City Thunder, losing four consecutive games.
Yes, LeBron James stated that retirement is still on the table as he reflects on his future.
LeBron James is set to become a free agent at the end of June.
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James was defiant Monday night that he doesn't see his record 23rd NBA season as a disappointment.
"I was put into positions I never played in my career before, actually in my life," James said. "I've never been a third option in my life. To be able to thrive in that role for a period of time and then be able to step back into that role I've been accustomed with over my career ... and being able to thrive under that."
James has long been the focal point of his teams in the NBA, even when he played alongside Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, but he let Doncic take on that lead-scoring role this season. At times, Austin Reaves was even more of a go-to scorer than James, who still scored plenty but held down a facilitator role as well.
When Doncic and Reaves went down with injuries before the playoffs, James was forced to become the focal point once again and led the Lakers to a playoff series win over the Houston Rockets. It wasn't enough to muster one win over the Thunder, even with Reaves back, but James seems to understand there was a significant talent gap between the two teams.
Here's a look at where James ranked among Lakers scorers in his 23rd season.
| Player | PPG |
| Luka Doncic | 33.5 |
| Austin Reaves | 23.3 |
| LeBron James | 20.9 |
| Deandre Ayton | 12.5 |
| Rui Hachimura | 11.5 |
| Marcus Smart | 9.3 |
| Luke Kennard | 9.0 |
| Jake LaRavia | 8.2 |
| Jaxson Hayes | 7.5 |
| Nick Smith Jr. | 6.2 |
James was his team's third-leading scorer for the first time in his career, averaging 20.9 points per game this season behind Doncic's 33.5 points per game and Reaves' 23.3. That trio missed a combined 71 games, so each player had to step up at different points of the season.
Despite a more limited scoring role, James also saw his assist-per-game mark decrease from each of the last two seasons. He also averaged his fewest rebounds per game since 2014-15.
James has averaged more than 20 points per game in all 23 of his NBA seasons, but it's certainly possible that streak ends if he decides to return for a 24th season, depending on where he decides to play.