LeBron James still undecided about future after Lakers’ postseason exit: ‘I don’t know’

It’s now once again decision time for LeBron James.

James and the Los Angeles Lakers fell to the Oklahoma City Thunder 115-110 on Monday night at Crypto.com Arena, which officially knocked them out of the playoffs. While the Thunder, who have yet to lose this postseason, will continue on with their title defense attempt, all eyes in the NBA world will turn to James and what’s next for him.

But James, shortly after Monday’s loss, again wasn’t ready to reveal anything about hsi future plans as he heads to free agency. Instead, he wants to head home and regroup with his family first before coming to any decisions.

“I don’t know [what’s next]. Obviously it’s still fresh from losing,” he said. “I don’t know. I don’t know what the future holds for me obviously as it stands right now, tonight.”

There has been plenty of speculation for months that James might retire at the end of the season, something that has now come for him and the Lakers. And, for plenty of reasons, retirement would make sense.

James is 41 years old, and he’s accomplished just about everything possible in the NBA. He’s a four-time NBA champion and a four-time MVP, among plenty of other accolades. He surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the league’s all-time scoring leader, and he’s both played more games and won more games than anyone else. Undoubtedly, James is one of the best to have ever played basketball.

James averaged 20.9 points, 7.2 assists and 6.1 rebounds per game this season, his 23rd in the league. He had 24 points and 12 rebounds in Monday’s loss. This season was his eighth with the Lakers, which marks his longest singular stretch with any of the three franchises he’s played for throughout his career.

James will become an unrestricted free agent this offseason, so he has the freedom to do whatever he wants. He could sign a new deal with the Lakers. He could opt to join any of the other 29 teams in the league. Or he could call it a career and move on to his next stage, whatever that may be. No choice would be wrong.

As for when that decision comes, however, is anybody’s guess.

“I haven’t even thought about that,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said about James’ future, via the OC Register’s Benjamin Royer. “Again, we’ll deal with the offseason in the offseason, which is in the next two months.”

Regardless, with the Lakers now out of the playoffs, the basketball world is waiting for James to make that announcement.