LeBron James tipped to retire after next season as bombshell dropped live on TV

LeBron James could call time on his basketball career as early as next season, according to ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania.

The revelation was made during a live TV discussion with Stephen A Smith about the Los Angeles Lakers’ prospects of clinching this season’s NBA title. Currently in his 22nd NBA season, James has steered the Lakers to a promising start with a 7-4 record after 11 games.

However, the LA team have been equally, if not more, in the spotlight due to the inclusion of James’ son Bronny, who was drafted by the Lakers and became the first son of an NBA player to play alongside his father in a game. LeBron, who turns 40 at the end of this year, is believed by Charania to have one more season left before he retires for good.

If James does retire then, he will be 41 years old and will have completed 23 professional seasons. The Lakers, despite accusations of nepotism from NBA observers, have assembled a squad that Charania believes could vie for a championship this season.

With Anthony Davis as the linchpin, new head coach JJ Redick has implemented a system that appears to leverage the strengths of his superstars while creating opportunities for role players.

James’ decision to bring Redick on board has seemingly paid dividends, with the NBA star currently boasting the highest three-pointer shooting percentage (.459) and free throw percentage (.789) of his career. Although he’s not on the court as much as in his early days, James still clocks about 35 minutes per game and is averaging the second-highest assists per game in his career.

On the other hand, Davis is leading the Lakers in points per game and rebounds per game, remaining relatively injury-free after a series of setbacks over the years. Averaging just under 35 minutes per game, Davis has been hailed by James as a potential MVP candidate.

Currently, Davis and James are on a mission to secure their second NBA championship as teammates, having clinched the 2020 title in the bubble following the suspension of that year’s NBA season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Another championship would see James bagging five total championships, making him the first player in NBA history to achieve this feat across three different teams.

In related news, the Los Angeles Lakers are considering a trade pitch for a $60 million NBA centre to complement Anthony Davis.