LeBron James Weighed In on His NBA Future After Loss to Nuggets

Tim Capurso | Apr 30, 2024

LeBron James declined to answer questions about his NBA future after the Lakers' loss to the Nuggets on Monday. / Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

LeBron James left his NBA future up in the air following the Los Angeles Lakers' season-ending 108-106 loss to the Denver Nuggets on Monday night at Ball Arena.

First, James was asked about his plans for the 2024-25 season.

"I don't have an answer ... to be honest," James said. "I haven't given it much thought."

James kept it about his family, mentioning Bronny James' upcoming decision to either enter the NBA draft or remain a college basketball player, his other son Bryce, his daughter Zhuri and his wife Savannah.

Then, in the final question of the press conference, a reporter asked James if Monday's game could be his last in a Lakers uniform.

Was there any thought that tonight was your last game with the Lakers?

LeBron James: “I’m not going to answer that.” pic.twitter.com/tOySUdsmbI

— Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) April 30, 2024

James declined to answer. The 39-year-old has one year remaining on the two-year extension he signed with the Lakers back in September of 2022. James has until June 29 to either opt into the deal's final year for $51.4 million or become an unrestricted free agent.

James has already committed to playing for Team USA in the 2024 Summer Olympics in July, his first time playing in the Olympic games since 2012.

In a sense, the question remains. What more is left for James, a four-time NBA champion, four-time MVP, four-time NBA Finals MVP, the league's all-time leading scorer, and a two-time Olympic gold medalist, to accomplish playing basketball? It seems he's given the question at least some thought, as he said the following to ESPN's Dave McMenamin late in the 2024 season before the playoff loss:

"I got a family. I got a nine-year-old daughter. I got a son that's in college, that's deciding if he's going to go to college or go pro. I got a son that's about to be a senior in high school. I've missed a lot of family time and they've allowed me to do that and never put no pressure on me. ...

"That s--- is important too. What more [is left]? I've done everything I can do. There's nothing I haven't accomplished in this league that I've wanted to accomplish. So like at some point you got to [hang it up]."