A Kings Reign podcast: LeBrons future in the NBA and beyond, and his enduring legacy

The thing about being LeBron James is that your microphone is bigger and louder than almost anyone else’s on the planet.

So when the Los Angeles Lakers star told the basketball world that he was considering saying goodbye on May 22, minutes after a Western Conference finals sweep by the eventual champion Denver Nuggets, it wasn’t as if the media could ignore his stunning message. No matter how much understandable skepticism there was about his level of sincerity.

LeBron James ended his postgame press conference on a cryptic note…

H/T @jovanbuha pic.twitter.com/qyPiP2VzEH

— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) May 23, 2023

Was he trying to divert the attention from all the blue and yellow brooms that were lying about? Was this a leverage play with the Lakers, a clever way to regain some control of roster decisions in anticipation of Kyrie Irving’s free agency? Or, as one of his associates had suggested in the immediate aftermath of it all, maybe James’ reflective state was inspired by the retirement of his close friend and fellow 2003 draftee Carmelo Anthony on that very same day.

“Nah, he’s fine,” the associate had said then.

Sure enough, they were right.

As James announced in his vintage dramatic form at the ESPYs recently, where he commanded that Dolby Theatre stage in Los Angeles with his family by his side, his public flirtation with retirement nearly two months before was a false alarm that so many had suspected.

“The real question for me is, ‘Can I play without cheating this game?’” James said with a somber tone. “The day I can’t give the game everything on the floor is the day I’ll be done.”

Cue the long pause, with James’ grin growing and his swagger resurfacing as he delivered the official update.

“Lucky for you guys, that day is not today,” he said to roaring cheers.

So now, after two decades of history-making dominance by the “kid from Akron,” a new question emerges: How much more of this basketball legend do we get to enjoy?

While James’ résumé is already seen by some as worthy of GOAT status, the problem with that debate is that it puts the focus on the past during a time when we shouldn’t be distracted from the present. What James did last season, and what he looks fully capable of doing for the foreseeable future, has never been done by a player at this stage of life.

And it’s not even close.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar didn’t do it. With the Washington Wizards, Michael Jordan didn’t do it. James was one of two players in the entire Association to average at least 28 points, eight rebounds and six assists with Dallas’ Luka Dončić being the other.

And while health was certainly an issue, with James’ right foot injury suffered in late February leading to him playing just 55 games, his 40-point, 10-rebound, nine-assist, 47-minute-and-56-second virtuoso performance in the two-point, Game 4 loss against the Nuggets was as much proof as anyone should need that he can still play at a high level for years to come.

But how long will he play, and will he retire with the Lakers? You get the sense that even he doesn’t truly know at this point. Especially after the recent health scare with his oldest son, Bronny James.

Above all else, it’s a profound blessing that Bronny not only survived the cardiac arrest incident he suffered while playing in practice late last month but was on the road to recovery quickly. But in terms of the uncertainty that now surrounds Bronny’s basketball life, and the possible impact on how LeBron sees his timeline within that, this could certainly be a significant factor for all involved. It’s impossible to handicap without knowing whether Bronny can continue to play the game he loves at an elite level. Before this situation, though, there was no shortage of LeBron tea leaves to interpret.

GO DEEPER

LeBron thankful for support after Bronny's collapse

Up until Bronny’s medical situation, LeBron had made it clear that it was a major priority to share an NBA floor with Bronny before LeBron retired. He told our Jason Lloyd at All-Star Weekend in 2022 that he was determined to play his last season with Bronny, which led to all sorts of understandable speculation on whether he would finish his career in a Lakers jersey. And that interview took place long before Bronny had turned into a prospect that some draft experts saw as a top-10 pick in the 2024 draft.

Of course, the Lakers may not even have a first-round pick next summer when Bronny had planned on turning pro (the New Orleans Pelicans, as part of the Anthony Davis trade in July 2019, get to pick between the Lakers’ 2024 and ’25 first-rounders). As for LeBron’s contract, he has a player option next summer and, theoretically, could try to follow Bronny wherever he might land if he chose to become a free agent.

What’s more, LeBron had altered his messaging on the Bronny front since his conversation with Lloyd, telling ESPN in January that he might settle for competing against his oldest son.

“Either in the same uniform or a matchup against him,” he said. “… I would love to do the whole Ken Griffey Sr. and Jr. thing. That would be ideal for sure.”

Considering the direction of these Lakers, who posted the best record in the West from Feb. 15 until the end of the regular season and made that shocking run to the West finals, there are far more reasons for LeBron to believe he can stay in the title-contending mix with this group.

The movie producing, acting and writing that he’s been doing for so many years already can continue while he plays. Ditto for the incredible charity efforts. And then there are the occasional coaching experiences that fill his basketball soul, most recently when he led his youngest son Bryce’s AAU team at the famed Peach Jam Invitational in Atlanta.

These highlights of LeBron James coaching at Peach Jam are too funny 😂

(via: brentwilson771 TikTok) pic.twitter.com/9BuV1Rq3A9

— Complex Sports (@ComplexSports) July 9, 2023

“You know what brings me back every year is watching and coaching my boys and their teammates,” James explained at the ESPYs. “See, I see those kids and it brings me right back to why I play. Those kids get me back to … where I need to be, just the pure love of this basketball game.”

But all of those meaningful ventures can continue while he adds to his legacy. And whenever he’s done, as he’s made clear, NBA team ownership (preferably in Las Vegas) is up next on his bucket list. But first, LeBron’s Lakers will try to finish what they started last season.

When it comes to LeBron’s standards, and the question of whether his bar may have been lowered with age, he was emphatic in that now-infamous, post-Game 4 news conference that it has not. After four championships and 10 NBA Finals appearances, James says the title-or-bust mentality remains.

“I think it was OK,” he said when asked about their season. “I don’t like to say it’s a successful year because I don’t play for anything besides winning championships at this point in my career. You know, I don’t get a kick out of making a conference (finals) appearance. I’ve done it, a lot. And it’s not fun to me to not be able to be a part of getting to the (NBA) Finals.”

But even with the Nuggets’ ascent, and with teams like the Suns, Warriors, Grizzlies, Kings, Clippers and others looking formidable in the West, Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka and his front office staff have spent the past six months escaping the disastrous Russell Westbrook era and reshaping their roster in the kind of way that could make LeBron’s final chapter quite compelling.

From Austin Reaves to Rui Hachimura, D’Angelo Russell, Gabe Vincent, Taurean Prince, Jaxson Hayes, Cam Reddish, and 17th pick Jalen Hood-Schifino and on down the line, second-year coach Darvin Ham will have all sorts of versatile, impactful options to support the LeBron-Anthony Davis duo.

If all goes well, and if LeBron can manage to keep his health intact while leading this group like he has so many that came before, it would be wise to remember one of the final lines of his ESPYs speech.

“So yeah, I’ve still got something left,” he said. “ A lot left.”

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