LeBron discusses whether Lakers acquiring Luka could delay his retirement plans

Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James has kept Father Time at bay for years and years, remaining a top NBA player even now that he’s 40.

He has been open about the fact that his time in the NBA is nearing an end, but earlier this season, the Lakers made a stunning move by trading for star guard Luka Doncic from the Dallas Mavericks.

Doncic is just 25. He is also one of the biggest stars in the league today and should have countless dominant years ahead of him. If James wants to be around for a few of those years, he may have to delay his retirement timeline.

But according to the man himself, the plan for now is to simply “see what happens.”

James realistically can’t stick around for all of Doncic’s prime years, but if he starts to feel like he has a legitimate chance to win a championship with the five-time All-Star, perhaps he’ll remain active longer than anyone expected before the trade.

The future Hall of Famer’s contract situation gives him all sorts of flexibility. He’s under contract through this season and has a player option for next season. Whatever he opts to do in the offseason may offer a hint as to how much longer he sees himself playing.

Of course, it’s entirely possible that the Doncic trade ultimately won’t impact James’ retirement timeline. After more than two decades in the NBA, the veteran may be looking forward to his next chapter, even though he’s clearly still among the best of the best in the basketball world.

This season, James is averaging 24.3 points, 7.7 rebounds and 9.0 assists per game while shooting 51.6 percent from the field and 39.5 percent from beyond the arc. He has helped the Lakers to a 32-20 record, a start they will look to parlay into a playoff bid this season and perhaps a postseason run.

Doncic projects to be someone who will be in Los Angeles for a long time. The question is how long James will be his running mate with the Purple and Gold.