Will LeBron James retire as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers or will he spend his final years playing for another team?
That is a question that NBA fans and analysts are asking a lot these days because James will decide his fate in a few months when he either accepts or declines his player option in the summer.
Speculation continues but former Lakers star Metta World Peace, now known as Metta Sandiford-Artest, believes that James will retire in a purple and gold jersey.
Speaking on “Run It Back,” he said: “I think LeBron retires a Laker.”
He added that the Lakers are just “one player away” from being true championship contenders and also said that James is “playing at a high level, I can’t see him leaving.”
"I think LeBron [James] retires a Laker…He's still playing at a high level, I can't see him leaving."@MettaWorld37 on LeBron James.
📺: https://t.co/oxMs3CAEGu pic.twitter.com/n73cGnUEXa
— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) February 27, 2024
Recent inside reports state that James wants to remain with the Lakers and the team obviously hopes to keep him.
But it goes without saying that he won’t stick around for a cheap salary.
Instead, he is angling for a multi-year, nine-figure payout, according to Brian Windhorst.
That’s a hefty payday but it’s one the Lakers would be willing to commit to if it meant they keep James for the remainder of his career.
Although it sounds like James is going to re-sign with LA, there is always a chance that the rest of this season goes poorly and he decides to move to another franchise before he steps away from the game.
That could be even more likely if another team is able to land his son Bronny in the draft.
Despite its problems, the partnership between the Lakers and James has been a successful one.
How much longer can it continue?
NEXT: Skip Bayless Reacts To LeBron Deleting Tweet About Bronny