As Dan Woike of The Athletic wrote on Tuesday, Los Angeles Lakers fans will probably have to wait a few more months before learning what LeBron James will do next (subscription required) in his illustrious career — retire, stay with the team, or leave.
"And if James doesn’t want to play anymore, league sources remind The Athletic that those career-defining decisions — leaving Cleveland for Miami, returning home, joining the Lakers — weren’t made until well after seasons ended."
Woike added that a league source said LeBron "is smart enough to know it would be foolish to make any permanent decisions in the emotional fog of an 82-game season."
At All-Star weekend, LeBron said that he still has "no idea" what his future will hold, and that when he does know, the media will know. It will remain one of the hottest topics of conversation in the league until he indicates what he'll do next. The odds that he'll retire at the end of the season without going on a tour feel low, but the fact that it's still an option is enough to make you wonder.
Don't expect LeBron James to make decision on his future soon
Rob Pelinka has already said that he'd "love" for LeBron to return to LA next season, but as Dave McMenamin previously reported, Cleveland would "welcome" the superstar back for a third stint with his hometown team.
There is always the chance that LeBron could leave the Lakers for a team that isn't the Cavaliers (the Warriors?), but it seems like that's where he'd head if he no longer wants to be in purple and gold. This is all speculation, though. Only LeBron knows how he feels, and apparently, right now, he's still unsure.
Los Angeles is entering the final stretch of the season, trying to stay in the top six of the conference to avoid the play-in tournament. They're certainly not the favorites to come out of the West, but they do have an advantage that even top teams don't possess. The Lakers could be a bigger threat than anticipated in the playoffs, which could turn out to be LeBron's final run.
The expectation is that this summer will be all about Giannis Antetokounmpo (the deadline was just a teaser), as he'll be eligible to sign an extension on Oct. 1. LeBron could kick off the offseason drama with everyone wondering what he'll do next when LA's season ends.
As Woike noted, the star's past decisions didn't happen until "well after seasons ended." So, in other words, history doesn't suggest LeBron will go straight from losing in the playoffs to announcing his next move in the postgame press conference. He'll let the anticipation build first.