JJ Redick roasted everyone who believed LeBron was actually retiring

At the Los Angeles Lakers' practice on Tuesday, JJ Redick was asked if he got any texts about LeBron James retiring after Monday's tweet from the 40-year-old superstar. Redick smirked and replied, "You guys are idiots." The head coach followed up with, "We all knew it was an ad, right?"

Most people suspected it was an ad, but there was no way to know for sure until this tweet on Tuesday.

Not everyone sees LeBron daily, or has his phone number to casually call him up and ask if his tweet meant the 2025-26 season would be his last. Of course, Redick already knew the answer, but that's because he's the Lakers' head coach. If LeBron were retiring, he'd be one of the first people to know.

JJ Redick has some fun after LeBron's retirement tease

At media day last week, it didn't sound like the end was as near as this being LeBron's final season, but that could've changed. The reality is that LeBron will retire sometime in the next couple of years.

He'll make history this season as being the only player in league history to play 23 seasons. It seems like there will be a season 24, at least. Why not go for 25 and say you spent a quarter of a century in the NBA?

Whether LeBron will retire with the Lakers is another question, as Los Angeles didn't approach him about an extension this summer. He's on an expiring contract for the first time in his career. He could re-sign with the Lakers next summer on a significantly cheaper deal, or he could opt to go elsewhere, such as Cleveland.

Even Redick may not have a clear idea of the direction LeBron will take. Maybe LeBron doesn't even know yet. Perhaps he's waiting to see how the first half of the season goes for the Lakers. They have Luka Dončić now, but their offseason moves don't match up with what the top teams in the conference did.

The retirement speculation will only continue. If LeBron drops another tweet about a 'Third Decision,' then Lakers fans won't go into panic mode and spend too much money on tickets to see what they thought would be LeBron's final LA regular-season game. The people who did so, hoping to flip the tickets for a profit, are the ones who JJ should've called idiots.

Seriously, though, at least we know this won't be LeBron's final season in the NBA.