Report: LeBron James considering retirement after Lakers swept by Nuggets

While the Lakers' loss to the Nuggets in the form of a 4-0 sweep was surprising, I'm not sure anyone anticipated this to be what LeBron would be thinking, regardless of the outcome of the series. The Lakers struggled to find answers against the Nuggets, but aside from James' early-series struggles from 3-point range, he had a great series, and the numbers backed it up.

Over the four-game stretch against the Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals, James nearly averaged a triple-double, posting lines of 27.8 points, 10 assists, and 9.5 rebounds per game.

In terms of his regular-season play, 2022-23 marked his second-highest scoring average (28.9 points per game) in the past 13 years, with the only season higher being 2021-22 when he averaged 30.3 points. In terms of his assists, rebounds, and virtually every other offensive category, he's been as good, if not better than in recent years almost across the board.

While these rumors and chatter surrounding LeBron's future are going to create a ton of chaos this offseason and also leave major uncertainty for the organization, it's tough to envision retirement being the path he chooses. Not only has James played incredibly well (per the usual), but he's also right on the doorstep of being able to potentially be in the NBA and possibly play with his son, which is an obvious focus for him.

It would be a complete shock to see LeBron not on the court in 2023-24. Lakers fans may still want to brace for the possibility, don't be surprised if everyone has to wait on James' decision until very close to the new season.