LeBron’s grip on the league is loosening; one of the most celebrated careers is nearing its end.
LeBron James is undeniably one of the greatest players in NBA history, but at 40 years old, many are starting to wonder if he’s overstaying his welcome in the league.
Even in his 23rd season, LeBron continues to defy time, finishing sixth in MVP voting last year, earning All-NBA Second Team honors, and adding to his résumé a 2020 NBA championship and Finals MVP, the inaugural NBA Cup in 2023, and a 2024 Olympic gold medal and MVP.
Yet despite these accolades, the glory is beginning to fade as age, injuries, and organizational changes begin to challenge his lasting grip on the league.
First, Lebron James exercised his hefty $52.6 million player option for the 2025-26 NBA season. The Lakers are essentially maxed out at $194.8 million, sitting just $1.1 million below the hard capped first apron, restricting trades, exception use, and late-season signings.
Additionally, the Lakers acquired Luka Doncic in what was a blockbuster deal in sending Lebron’s partner in crime Anthony Davis to the Mavericks on February 2, 2025.
Typically, LeBron James and his agent Rich Paul have a heavy influence on the Lakers’ roster and front office decision. According to Bleacher Report writer Eric Pincus, they pushed for the trades to acquire Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook.
This time, it was reported that Lebron had no knowledge of the deal being in the works, foreshadowing a potential rift between LeBron and the Lakers organization.
Ahead of the 2025-2026 season, it was announced that James would miss the first few weeks of the regular season with a sciatica issue down the right side of his body. Part of Lebron’s brand was his superhuman conditioning, playing at least 65 out of the 82 games in all but one season over 15 years. Since coming to the Lakers, he has missed that 65 game mark in four of his seven seasons, a testament to the shortfall of his physical health.
In the games the Lakers have played this season without Lebron on the floor, Austin Reaves and Luka Doncic have reached new levels in their play. Luka Doncic averaged 46.0 PPG, 11.5 RPG, 8.5 APG on 73.3 TS% before heading to the injury list to address his left finger sprain and lingering leg contusion, and Austin Reaves averaged 35.8 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 8.5 APG, 1.8 SPG with 57/43/88 shooting splits over the first four games.
Although these inflated stats come early in the season, a team built around this young core is a possibility, especially as Lebron’s on-court habits have hindered Lakers’ performances. He is often lagging in transition defense, sometimes opting to do so to argue for missed calls. The decline is reflected in his 113.0 defensive rating over the past five seasons, far from his elite 97.3 mark in 2011-12.
Offensively, his once-relentless rim attacks have given way to stagnant off-ball play and increased reliance on passive jumpers. Last season, LeBron James shot only 4.8 percent higher than the league average at the rim, with less than half of his shots coming from there. In comparison, during the 2013–14 season, LeBron converted 74.9 percent of his attempts at the rim, and in the 2017–18 season, he attempted 806 field goals at the rim, 248 more attempts than last year.
From a marketing perspective, the NBA no longer recognizes LeBron James as its undeniable centerpiece. During his peak years from 2010 to 2018, NBA viewership surged, with regular-season averages surpassing 2.5 million and Finals audiences topping 20 million, according to Sports Media Watch.
However, as LeBron’s era wanes and no single superstar has emerged to replace his cultural gravity, viewership has dropped to around 1.6 million for the regular season and 11.6 million for the Finals by 2022–23, the lowest since the early 2000s. It’s become clear that the league and media have been rushing to find the new face of the league.
Even LeBron’s fans seemed ready for his farewell. On October 6, he teased “the decision of all decisions” on social media, referencing his iconic 2010 announcement with a clip titled “The Second Decision.” Many believed a retirement announcement was imminent, causing Lakers ticket sales to spike 25 times higher than usual, and the average resale price jumped from $280 to $399, according to Victory Live. However, the frenzy quickly subsided after it was revealed to be a Hennessy advertisement.
People initially expected Lebron James to end his career in year 23, to pay tribute to one of his iconic jersey numbers. However, Cleveland.com’s Chris Fedor suggested LeBron isn’t ready to retire just yet, noting on the Wine and Gold Talk podcast that James will “make it known” before officially stepping away and won’t quietly retire after a season ends.
Still, as age, injuries, and diminished impact begin to erode his dominance, LeBron’s grip on the Lakers and the league is loosening, signaling that basketball’s most celebrated career may be nearing its end.
Graphics/Vlad Latis
