Kendrick Perkins tells LeBron James when he must retire, it’s time to make the decision

Perkins urges James to consider retirement from the NBA sooner rather than later

Playing 23 seasons is unheard of in the NBA, as James will be the longest-tenured player in league history after the 2025-26 campaign. Vince Carter played 22 seasons in the NBA, but James will set the new record.

Considering people have never seen this kind of longevity, some media members like Perkins are urging James to step away from the sport. While that might seem like a preposterous proposal, Perkins has his reasons.

Perkins was also a member of the 2015 Cavaliers roster, so he and James are familiar with each other. Perkins wants James to prioritize his body, especially after he is set to miss the first few games of the season due to an injury he possibly sustained from playing golf.

“We talk about Father Time all the time, and Father Time is here. His body is saying, ‘Listen to me.’ This is three straight years in a row that LeBron James has dealt with injuries that have kept him sidelined. Maybe his body is telling him, ‘I’ve been good to you, it’s time for you to be good to me,” Perkins said on NBA Today.

“It’s time to shut it down, not right now, but at the end of the season. I feel like this should be LeBron’s last season, and he should really retire at the end of this season.”

“There’s nothing more for him to accomplish; he’s accomplished everything.”

The Lakers are committed to playing with Doncic as the star

With Doncic set to be the long-term star for the Lakers, James’ time might be up in Los Angeles. He can still play out the 2025-26 season, but anything beyond that is questionable.

Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka wants James to stay and retire with the Lakers, but nothing is set in stone. A return to the Cavaliers could be in the cards, considering that they are the first team he played for, and Ohio is his home state.

Doncic is clearly the star for the long-term future. He is already one of the NBA’s best players, and he is only 26. Most people within the NBA community would agree that he is a generational talent, so it is fair for the Lakers to commit to him as their star player for the future.

If James steps away from LA and the league, the Lakers will be in good hands. At the end of the day, Perkins’ desire to convince James to retire won’t be that big of a problem with the Lakers.