The consensus coming into Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals against the Denver Nuggets was that the Los Angeles Lakers season was able to come to an end with the team facing a 3-0 deficit and long odds to advance to the NBA Finals.
Ultimately, the Nuggets proved too much for the Lakers to handle, with LeBron James and company unable to get the best of this top-seeded Denver squad, resulting in the 2022-23 campaign ending for the purple and gold.
Although the Nuggets making it to the NBA Finals for the first time in the franchise’s history was a notable feat, the headlines were stolen by James after the game due to his admission that retirement might be possible this summer.
James’ comments caught a lot of people by surprise, but some weren’t buying what he was selling, including Joy Taylor of Fox Sports via Speak On FS1.
.@JoyTaylorTalks: LeBron isn’t retiring. pic.twitter.com/1OmIipykEH
— Speak (@SpeakOnFS1) May 23, 2023
As Taylor points out, James would be leaving a lot of money on the table if he chose to retire this summer and pass on the opportunity to play with his son Bronny James in the near future.
James’ retirement flirtation didn’t even seem serious in the moment, nor should it be believed unless he’s got a serious physical issue that he’s concerned about.
There’s a good chance he will undergo offseason surgery to address his foot issue, but it’s doubtful that will force him into retirement.
Clearly, he’s not the same player of old that dominated the league with ease, but he’s still very good and capable of competing on a championship-caliber team moving forward, which is enough for him to continue his career.
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