Lakers’ LeBron James says he could – but won’t – play at a high level for ‘another 5-7 years’

EL SEGUNDO When LeBron James steps on the court for the Lakers game against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena, hell add another accomplishment to his exhaustive list by becoming part of an exclusive club of people to play in the NBA after turning 40 years old.

James, who turned 40 on Monday, will become the 32nd player in league history to appear in an NBA game (regular season and playoffs) after their 40th birthday.

Hell be the first player since former Miami Heat teammate Udonis Haslem (2022-23) to accomplish the feat.

James said he didnt originally think about playing until he was 40 when the Cleveland Cavaliers drafted him with the No.

1 pick in the 2003 draft.

But crossing the 40-year-old threshold offered him the opportunity to not only reflect on his past, but also look at what the future could hold.

James, who is in his 22nd NBA season (his seventh with the Lakers), hasnt hesitated to acknowledge the obvious understanding that hes at the tail end of his playing career.

If the NBAs all-time leading scorer returns next season, hell break a tie with Vince Carter for the most seasons played in the NBA.

James responded of course when asked on Monday whether thoughts about the ending of his playing career have increased, adding that his relationship with retirement is very good.

But he made it clear that when he does retire, it wont be because he isnt capable of playing at a high level anymore.

James has averaged 23.5 points (49.6% shooting), nine assists and 7.9 rebounds in the 28 games he played this season before turning 40.

The statistical averages for a player after turning 40: 6.6 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.4 assists.

Because to be honest, if I really wanted to, I could probably play this game at a high level probably for about another its weird that I might say this but probably about another 5-7 years, if I wanted to, James said.

But Im not going to do that.

James comments were in line with what he said after a Nov.

13 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies when he broke his own record as the oldest player in league history to record three consecutive triple-doubles.

Im not going to play that much longer, to be completely honest, he said at the time.

I dont know how many years that is, if its one year, if its two years, whatever the case may be.

But Im not ...

I said that the other night, Im not playing until the wheels fall off.

Im not going to be that guy.

Im not going to be the guy whos disrespecting the game because I just want to be out on the floor.

No, that wont be me.

James who last summer signed a two-year, $101.3 million contract with a player option for the 2025-26 season acknowledged hell miss the game when he eventually does retire.

But no matter how much he misses playing, he was adamant that he wont be like other athletes who have retired, made a comeback and then retired again.

No, James repeated five more times when asked if hed make a comeback after retiring.

I would miss the hell out of it, for sure.

But no, I wont walk away and come back.

No.

Would James want to play longer if the Lakers, who entered Tuesday at 18-13, were able to compete at a high level this year and beyond? I dont know possibly, he responded.

But you ask that question, the first person I thought about [was former Philadelphia Eagles center] Jason Kelce.

Earlier this year, he had a sit-down with [Philadelphia Eagles quarterback] Jalen Hurts talking about that same factor, the fact that theyre extremely good this year and have you had the thought of coming back and maybe not retiring.

Of course.

But hes very happy with the decision hes made.

Right now, were a very good team.

We have a chance to compete with anybody in the league.

Are we at a championship level? Can we win a championship right now? No, I dont think so.

But thats good because we have so much room for improvement, and we just added two new guys as well in DoeDoe (Dorian-Finney Smith) and Shake [Milton].

So well see how we incorporate those guys.

But well see.

I dont know if that determines if I stick around longer because it doesnt change my career in any sense or fashion.

James, who has subject to mild trade rumors at times over the past two years and has a no-trade clause in his contract, reiterated that he wanted to finish his career as a Laker.

I would love for it to end here, James said.

That would be the plan.

I came here to play the last stage of my career and to finish it off here.

But Im also not silly or too jaded to know the business of the game as well, to know the business of basketball.

But I think my relationship with this organization speaks for itself.

And hopefully I dont got to go nowhere before my career is over.

His 40th birthday, if nothing else, provided another moment to reflect on his longevity.

I mean, I had a decade of the 30s so to just wake up and just be like, Oh shoot, oh damn, youre 40? Its kind of laughable, really, to know where I am, to see where I am still playing the game at a high level, he said.

Still being such a young man but old in the scheme of how many years I got in this profession.

But I just think when I came into the league, obviously thats like the first thing I thought about.

You came in as an 18-year-old kid and now youre sitting here as a 40-year-old, 22-year vet with a 20-year-old in the NBA as well.

So its pretty cool..

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