Carmelo Anthony's Former Teammate Makes Bold LeBron James Prediction

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Ashish Mathur | Last updated May 15, 2025 3:20 PM ET

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James (40) is the oldest active player in the NBA, but you wouldn't know it by watching him play.

James appeared in 70 games for the Lakers during the 2024-25 regular season. He averaged 24.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, 8.2 assists, 1.0 steals and 0.6 blocks. No 40-year-old has ever put up those numbers in NBA history.

The Lakers faced the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of this year's playoffs. Although the Timberwolves won the series in five games, James' counting stats were elite. The four-time MVP averaged 25.4 points, 9.0 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 2.0 steals and 1.8 blocks in the five-game series.

James turns 41 in December. He has a player option to return to the Lakers next season. The four-time Finals MVP can decline his 2025-26 player option and become an unrestricted free agent this summer.

If he doesn't retire, no one expects the leading scorer of all time to leave the Lakers since his son, Bronny James, and Luka Doncic are in LA.

One of Carmelo Anthony's former teammates believes James can play another five years since the future Hall of Famer takes such good care of his body.

However, Al Harrington thinks the 2025-26 campaign will be James' final season in the NBA.

"Honestly, I personally think that he could play five more years if he wanted to because he takes care of himself," Harrington said on the Sloane Knows podcast. "He has the body that can do it, but I personally think this is his last year coming up."

James signed with the Lakers in the summer of 2018. Los Angeles missed the postseason in 2019, won the championship in 2020, lost in the first round of the 2021 postseason, missed the postseason in 2022, lost in the conference finals in 2023 and lost in the first round of the 2024 and 2025 playoffs.

Arguably the greatest player of all time, James has played for the Cleveland Cavaliers (twice), Miami Heat and the Lakers. He has career averages of 27.0 points, 7.5 rebounds, 7.4 assists, 1.5 steals and 0.7 blocks.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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