LeBron James Considers Next Step After Lakers' Playoff Exit

On May 1st, Beijing Time, a legendary NBA star was eliminated from the playoffs after his team, the Los Angeles Lakers, were beaten by the Minnesota Timberwolves. After the game, at a press conference, the 40 - year - old star publicly responded to the topic of retirement for the first time. He said that he would use the entire off - season to carefully consider his next move in his career.

During the question - and - answer session of the post - game press conference, when asked about his retirement schedule, the star said, "There is no clear answer at present. I need to have in - depth discussions with my family and my team and seriously think about how much longer I want to stay on the court." This season, he still averaged 24.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 8.2 assists, and reached the 50,000 - point milestone.

What he cherished most this season was sharing the court with his eldest son, creating a historic moment in NBA history as the first father - son duo to play together. His 19 - year - old son joined the Lakers through the draft last year. Although he spent most of the time in the G League, the star was extremely proud. "This year of playing alongside my son has been the most fulfilling journey in my career. Watching his growth from the Summer League to the preseason, I'm extremely proud as a father," he said.

Regarding the Slovenian star who joined the Lakers mid - season, the star admitted that the short time affected the team's chemistry: "He is a once - in - a - generation talent, but building a good understanding takes time." When it comes to the Lakers' future team - building direction, he said cautiously, "There are variables in the roster, and my own future with the team is also undecided."

In addition, the star highly praised the performance of the rookie head coach: "It's extremely difficult to be the head coach of a big - market team like the Lakers, but his ability to adapt is far beyond expectations." Currently, the Lakers' management is at a crossroads. Whether to build a new roster around the two main players or start a rebuilding project will influence the final decision of this legendary star.