All good things eventually come to an end, and not even LeBron James' career will be the exception to that rule. The veteran forward continues to be the heart and soul of the Los Angeles Lakers, but he's not getting any younger.
Even so, should he become available via trade or free agency, there's no denying that multiple teams would line up to try and sign him, even if it's just for a year or for marketing-related purposes.
Unfortunately for them, it seems like The King has already made up his mind about the last team he wants to play in, and that's non-other than the Los Angeles Lakers, according to ESPN insider Zach Lowe.
NBA Rumors: LeBron James Wants To Retire With The Lakers
“I keep hearing he wants to stay with the Lakers,” Lowe said. “He wants to finish his career with the Lakers. His comments though should be interpreted as his patience is not infinite and if this is just a continued morass of losing, maybe that changes. But if you force me to bet, I’d still bet on him finishing his career with the Lakers. And I’d feel pretty confident in that.”
James Doesn't Care About The Lakers' First-Round Picks
Of course, that will also require him and the front office to see eye to eye about their plans for the future. According to ESPN's Brian Windhorst, James would much rather they trade their first-round picks to try and win now:
"LeBron James doesn't care about first-round draft picks. And if you were him, you wouldn't either," Windhorst said on The Hoops Collective. "The reasons why the Lakers are so cautious about those picks have been documented. The reason why James has little care for future picks is assumed to be his age, now 38, and the desire to maximize his remaining playing days. That is certainly true, but there's more to it."
Rob Pelinka has made it clear that he's not going to trade either of their future first-round picks unless a superstar suddenly becomes available, but that seems less likely by the day. So, will James change his mind? We'll have to wait and see.
