In a recent interview, Basketball Hall of Famer Charles Barkley made it clear he wants to see Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James retire sooner rather than later.
“I hope he retires while he can still play,” Barkley said. “I saw Michael Jordan [play] with the [Washington] Wizards and it was not pretty. I saw Patrick Ewing with the Orlando Magic. I would love to see [LeBron James] retire sooner rather than later…because it ends badly when you keep on playing.”
James’ 21st season in the NBA came to an end after the Lakers were eliminated by the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs. Despite James approaching his 40th birthday in December, the four-time MVP has shown no signs of slowing down. Last season, he appeared in 71 games. This was the most amount of games he played in a season since 2017-18. In those games, he averaged 25.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 8.3 assists per game. Furthermore, James shot a career-high 41% from beyond the arc.
Recently, Rich Paul, James’ agent, said he thinks the future Hall of Famer has “two or three years left in the tank.”
“He’s had an unbelievable career,” Paul continues. “I think we do see him next year. The ‘how many more’ after that, I do not know. But I think he got maybe two or three years left in the tank. Maybe, you know.”
James has a player option for next season. Currently, nothing is official yet. However, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst believes the Akron native will opt out but remain with the team regardless.
“I don’t think LeBron James is gonna retire & I do think he’s gonna play at least one more season.. I really don’t see him leaving the Lakers.. I think he will opt out of his contract though because I think Bronny is entering the draft”
Charles Barkley is Hopeful That NBA Star Retires Soon
LeBron James Doesn’t “Have Much Time Left”
In March, James talked about how much longer he plans on playing in the NBA. “King James” made it clear he will likely retire sooner rather than later.
LeBron James on how long he expects to continue playing in the NBA: “Not very long. … I’m not gonna play another 21 years, that’s for damn sure. But not very long. I don’t know when that door will close as far as when I’ll retire. But I don’t have much time left.” pic.twitter.com/OtJzM6cheI
— Jovan Buha (@jovanbuha) April 1, 2024
Does Charles Barkley Have a Point About LeBron James?
Barkley’s idea that James should retire before it’s too late makes sense. Arguably the greatest NBA player ever, James has built a legacy that may remain unmatched forever. Because of this, retiring before he becomes a shell of himself is a good idea. However, James has shown no signs of slowing down just yet. Barring a sudden and drastic dropoff, the four-time NBA champion will likely call it a career before it reaches the point of no return. If James only has a few years left, it will be interesting to see what he can do to add to his already legendary career.
