Kendrick Perkins is not typically the source one would go to in an effort to find consistently rational and logical takes about the NBA. When speaking about LeBron James and a potential retirement tour, though, the ESPN analyst delivered a good point.
"Can you imagine how much lettuce LeBron James is going to make next year if he decides to do that farewell tour," Perkins asked.
The former teammate of James thought both the NBA and Nike would both benefit tremendously from LeBron's potential swan song. That should trickle down to the Los Angeles Lakers superstar in the process.
Why this matters would be the freedom which can be afforded to James in his final season. On one hand, the Lakers can comfortably outbid the other potential suitors for LeBron in the upcoming free agency period. On the other hand, if finances are a motivating factor and the all-time great has more than enough coming from sources that are not his contract, the decision is free of that burden.
LeBron James' farewell tour should set him up to pick his own team freely
"When I know, you guys will know," James said at All-Star Weekend about his decision to play another year. "I don't know. I have no idea."
There has been some momentum building around the idea that maybe, just maybe, James could bow out quietly at the end of this year and forego the celebration of his career over a full campaign. That is an exceptionally tough sell given who he is.
James's career has been full of pageantry. LeBron has been the face of the NBA for nearly the entirety of his time in the league. Being dubbed The Chosen One in high school will do that to you.
Somehow it feels like the NBA's all-time leading scorer surpassed the wild career expectations that come with such a label. Imagining a player of his stature and his caliber simply signing off without celebration just does not sit right.
The part of this conversation that should not be ignored would be James still playing at a high level too. It's not like LeBron acts his age out there on the court. With his skill set still holding strong, the Lakers star has cited the mental as the biggest factor in a retirement decision on multiple occasions.
Assuming James still loves the game enough to return for at least one final year beyond this season, the biggest obstacle to choosing his final destination is not likely to be the financials. Wherever LeBron goes for the retirement tour, business opportunities will follow.