LeBron James avoids topic of Lakers’ future after playoff exit

Four-time NBA champion, soon-to-be first-ballot Hall of Famer and member of the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team LeBron James reached the podium after a defeat in the fifth end-of-season match against the Denver Nuggets Monday evening to answer questions from the media. During his short post-game exit interview, reporters mostly stuck to topics like whether James can play NBA basketball at age 39, if he’s still plans to play in the league with his sonBronny James, and if he thinks he’ll dress for the the Los Angeles Lakers during the 2024-25 NBA season.

This last of these topics, specifically James’ response to questions asked about it, set the internet ablaze. The reason is that reporters asked James if he thought Game 5 against the Nuggets was his last game for the Lakers, to which James decided to give his version of a non-answer. Los Angeles Lakers reporter Johan Buva shared the star’s cryptic response on Twitter/X early Tuesday morning.

The legendary small forward from Akron, Ohio chose to keep his blunt response to the question private, but his demeanor and visible smile fully opened the possibility for James to accept offers to join another organization in free agency. After winning a championship at the end of his second season for Los Angeles in 2019-20, James suffered playoff defeat after playoff defeat, the most recent arguably more devastating than the others.

If the star forward prioritizes winning or forming the first-ever father-son duo on an NBA team, James’ tenure with the Lakers could actually be over.

Will LeBron James leave the Lakers?

As a possible unrestricted free agent in 2024, the four-time league MVP could bid farewell to Los Angeles

Now that James has fully made it known to the universe that a move from Los Angeles is possible, the logistics behind the move aren’t fully worked out yet. James has a player option worth $51,415,938 that he can decline to then make him an unrestricted free agent, able to speak with potential teams who would still clamor for James’ presence even in the near future. from the age of 40. James has until June 29 to decide whether to accept the gargantuan salary to stay in Los Angeles or explore his options as a free agent. After June 29, James could begin negotiations with other teams the next day, June 30, at 6 p.m. ET.

One thing for sure is that James can still contribute to victory if he is surrounded by the right co-stars. In his 21st NBA season, James averaged an incredible 25.7 points, 7.3 rebounds and 8.3 assists, as he was named an All-Star for a record 20th time. James has also proven that he has become a better shooter as the emphasis on three-point shooting has increased across the league by shooting an impressive 41% on three-pointers on 5.1 attempts at distance per match. In this way, James was able to further extend his career by becoming a serious threat in this area in recent seasons.

Throughout this season, James’ name has been thrown around in many rumors regarding which team he could join this summer, but there are some interesting options to pursue for the NBA’s all-time leading scorer. A few of these potential choices include teaming up with a longtime rival Stephen Curry of the Warriors of the Golden Stateor possibly return to Cleveland Cavaliers for a third stint with his hometown team to team up with their superstar shooting guard Donovan Mitchell.

Remarkably, the nearly 40-year-old James and his impending free agency decision will send seismic shockwaves throughout the NBA in the summer of 2024, further demonstrating that his unrivaled longevity and consistency still make him a flagship product in a booming league. the seams with young superstar talents.

Related

Warriors’ Draymond Green epically trolls Jusuf Nurkić after Suns’ playoff exit

With the Golden State Warriors already sitting at home, Draymond Green had time to troll Jusuf Nurkić.