Will LeBron James retire after current season?

LeBron James has once again left the basketball world guessing about his future, declining to commit to returning for another NBA season after the Los Angeles Lakers were eliminated from the playoffs on Monday, 11 May.

Following a 115-110 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 4 of their second-round playoff series, James, 41, spoke candidly about what comes next. 

“I don’t know what the future holds,” he said, adding that he plans to step away and spend time with his family before making any decisions.

“Nobody has any idea what the future holds, and I don’t either. I’ll take time to recalibrate and look over the season and see what’s best for my future, and when I get to that point, everyone will know.”

The remarks have reignited retirement speculation surrounding the league’s all-time leading scorer, who finished the final game of his 23rd season with 24 points and 12 rebounds.

The timing adds further intrigue. 

James is set to become an unrestricted free agent after this season, meaning if he does decide to continue playing, it could be with an entirely different team. 

He earned $52.6 million during the 2025-26 season, and any move elsewhere would require a pay cut, something that would be a first in his career, according to The Athletic.

This is not the first time James has left the door open on retirement.

After the Lakers’ exit against the Minnesota Timberwolves last year, he offered similarly uncertain words. 

“I don’t have an answer to that. Something I’ll sit down with my family, my wife and my support group and kind of just talk through it and see what happens. I don’t know the answer to that right now, to be honest.”

For now, the question of whether basketball’s greatest ever player has played his last game remains unanswered.