If you've been sweating out over LeBron James' retirement since he hinted at it, you may breathe a sigh of relief: A source close to the Los Angeles Lakers player told ESPN's Dave McMenamin on Thursday that he expects James will return for the 2023-24 NBA season and complete his deal.
This is not the same as James coming out and saying he was just tired and emotional after being swept in the conference finals on Monday, when he made a cryptic comment about his future during his press conference and then directly told ESPN that he needed to think about "if I want to continue to play." However, when many reporters indicate that they do not anticipate James to step away.
How probable is it that James will spend time with his son Bronny before leaving? Is he interested in a retirement tour? These are the types of queries you should expect to hear for quite some time. However, whether or not his retirement is imminent appears to be a stupid issue. According to ESPN, James' choice "could be a nonissue," and the Lakers' more immediate issue is what to do at the point guard position. We'll have to see what King James decides.