LeBron James’ Agent Sends Cryptic Message on Lakers Star’s NBA Future

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Paul White | Last updated Sep 23, 2025 9:00 AM ET

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James has played longer and better than anyone could have expected given his age.

He will be 41-years old in December, and no matter how good he is at this stage of his career, everyone knows he won’t be in the game much longer.

James has refused to give himself a definitive timeline to stick to, but his star agent Rich Paul gave a hint as to what that time frame looks like on Monday.

ESPN insider Shams Charania made an appearance on the network and relayed a message from Paul, stating, “It’s important not to worry about the future when it comes to LeBron James. Just appreciate the present.”

Rich Paul on LeBron James future

"It's important not to worry about the future when it comes to LeBron James. Just appreciate the present"

(h/t @ohnohedidnt24)pic.twitter.com/JtMGxE0WJv
— Fullcourtpass (@Fullcourtpass) September 22, 2025

While it doesn’t guarantee that James will retire after the season, it doesn’t sound like he plans on playing for much longer.

Charania also went on to say that the four-time champion’s son, Bryce James, will be playing in college this season, so his father’s NBA future could be contingent on how well he develops.

The Lakers star made it clear for years that he wanted to last long enough to play with his other son, Bronny James, and he fulfilled that dream last season.

With four championships scattered between the Lakers, Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat, James has nothing left to prove or accomplish in the league.

He is one of the rare players in sports history, who may walk away from the game in his forties strictly because he is tired of the grind. Mostly every other athlete gets to a point where they realize that they just don’t have it anymore.

James has quietly expressed his desire to win another championship to the Lakers, and he has a solid chance with point guard Luka Doncic as his co-star. Fans around the league should try to enjoy his greatness while they still can, because it won’t be long before it’s gone.

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

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