LeBron James had plenty to say about his NBA-record 23rd season, but at the moment it ended, he only had a few words for the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Thunder beat the Los Angeles Lakers, 115-110, to complete the series sweep on Monday night. Before leaving the Crypto.com Arena floor — perhaps for the final time as a Laker — James dapped up reigning NBA MVP and likely-soon-to-be back-to-back NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Alex Caruso and said, “Go get another one, alright?”
Caruso was a teammate of James’ on the Lakers when the Lakers won the 2020 NBA Finals. It was James’ fourth championship and the only championship ring he has won in his eight seasons in Los Angeles.
The Thunder have yet to lose a game in these playoffs — sweeping the Phoenix Suns before sweeping the Lakers — and it seems inevitable that they will become the NBA’s first repeat champion since the Golden State Warriors in 2017 and 2018. But as much as it feels that way, it is not inevitable.
Everyone in Oklahoma City is secretly crossing all available fingers that the Minnesota Timberwolves beat the San Antonio Spurs, and the Timberwolves meet the Thunder in the Western Conference Finals. The Spurs currently hold a 3-2 series lead over the Timberwolves, and they were the only team to make the Thunder look mortal — going 3-1 in their regular-season matchups and 4-1 if you include the NBA Cup final.
As for James, he and Giannis Antetokounmpo will be the chatter of the summer after the 2026 NBA Finals conclude in June. James is about to become an unrestricted free agent, and even at 41, he will be the most coveted free agent available.
“I think you guys asked me about [retirement], and I’ve answered questions,” James said at his postgame presser on Monday night. “I don’t think I’ve come out and been like, ‘Oh, retirement is coming.’ With my future, I don’t know. Obviously, we’re still fresh from, obviously, losing [the series]. I don’t know. I don’t know what the future holds for me.”
The 22-time All-Star continued, “As it stands right now tonight, I got a lot of time. I’ll sit back. I think I said it last year after we lost, I think, to Minnesota that I’ll go back and recalibrate with my family and talk with them and spend some time with them. When the time comes, obviously, you guys will know what I decide to do.”
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