LeBron James speaks out on rumors of him playing until he’s 45

On Friday, Dec. 30, LeBron James will turn 38 years of age. With every game he plays, his odometer ticks higher.

That’s led everyone to wonder how much longer he will play at a high level. Another question is how much longer James will want to play in the NBA at all.

His Los Angeles Lakers teammate Dennis Schroder recently said that James wants to play until he’s 45, and James addressed that rumor on Wednesday.

James scored 27 points on 10-of-18 shooting, to go along with nine rebounds and six assists in a 112-98 loss to the Miami Heat on Wednesday night. After the game, James talked about his standing when it comes to his career, including how much longer he may want to play.

He is a remarkably talented human being, but he is a human being. That means he has the same type of vulnerabilities and sensibilities as many mere mortals. With a 4-6 record in the NBA Finals, he may feel he needs to win one or two more championships in order to get the respect he feels entitled to.

Unfortunately, barring a dramatic turnaround or trade, it doesn’t seem like he will not be adding to his hardware collection anytime soon.

The Lakers’ roster is somewhat better than it was last season when they missed the play-in tournament. However, there are major holes in the roster, and those holes seem to stick out even more right now with Anthony Davis sidelined due to a stress injury in his foot.

This injury may ultimately be the main thing that torpedoes whatever hope the team has had for this season.

At least in theory, the Lakers could make a major move or two between now and next fall that could put them into position to seriously contend for the world title in 2024. However, it is unknown whether James’ body will hold up enough to allow him to hold up his end of the bargain and still play at a high level next season.

Until then, James may feel like he is stuck in mud.