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In Light of Charles Barkley’s Comments, Is It Time for LeBron James to Step Away From Professional Basketball?
In his now-viral interaction with Shannon Sharpe, NBA Legend Charles Barkley shared his mind on when Lebron James should retire. This begs the question, is Father Time catching up to the GOAT?
After a hard-fought but unfortunate first-round exit at the hands of Jokic’s Denver Nuggets, the future of the Los Angeles Lakers as a contender team looks bleak. Following coach Darvin Ham’s departure from the Head Coaching job, unlikely rumors about King James leaving LA, possibly even retiring, have also caught fans.
As the oldest active player in the NBA at 39, Lebron James has thus far managed to defy the challenges of aging as a professional athlete. Standing at the gates of retirement, the four-time Champion clings to the hope of one day playing alongside his son Bronny and winning his fifth championship ring.
Though both these instances are improbable at best, the Akron, Ohio native already has a great all-time career in the bag. As the leading all-time scorer in NBA history with 10 finals appearances and 20 All-Star selections under his belt, James is truly a one-of-one with no close second behind him.
Among the noted experts who recently weighed in on Lebron’s retirement was NBA legend and Hall of Famer Charles Barkley. As someone who once was on the receiving end of retirement rumors, Barkley shared a realistic take on playing as the ‘old head’ nearing retirement. 
Charles Barkley’s Take on Lebron’s Retirement
In a recent appearance on Shannon Sharpe’s Club Shay Shay Podcast, Barkley engaged in a candid conversation about his early life, college success, his NBA career, and more.
In their engaging conversation, Sharpe brought up Lebron’s career status and asked Barkley how long the four-time MVP could play at an elite level. Barkley answered by saying, “I Hope he retires while he can still play.” He continued, “I’ve been there myself; I saw Patrick Ewing in his last legs, saw Michael Jordan playing with the Wizards. I don’t want to see any great playing past their prime”.
Barkley’s concerns are not unwarranted by any means. Taking examples of Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady, both were exceptionally gifted scorers who always gave the opposing team a hard time on offense. But after twelve seasons in the league, fifteen for Carter, their on-court productivity fell off a cliff.
In his last three seasons in the NBA, McGrady averaged 7.1 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 3.0 assists in 20.8 minutes per game. In Carter’s case, his numbers were shockingly low, averaging 6.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.2 assists in 18 minutes a game between 2014 and 2020.
There’s no doubt that James will retire soon. However, based on his recent statements, LBJ fans are assured that the time is NOT now.
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Lebron’s Contract Has the Player Option Clause
As per Spotrac, Lebron’s two-year $99 million deal with the Lakers includes a second-year player option. While it is expected that LBJ will sport the purple and gold next season, James himself has kept his future plans under wraps.
In his Game 5 post-presser following the first-round exit, James was asked whether this was his final game as a Laker. James responded with a smile, saying, “I’m not gonna answer that.”
The response stirred a lot of rumors about him departing the Lakers, joining the team that drafts Bronny, or even forming a super trio with KD and Steph. With the current league scenario, these rumors are, at best, a source of amusement.
If Lebron does decide to forgo the player option, it will be very interesting to see how he navigates his career and where his choices lead him.
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