LeBron James is an unrestricted free agent after finishing his record-breaking 23rd NBA season with the Los Angeles Lakers this year. It remains to be seen if he’ll return to the team, join a new franchise, or retire from basketball.
Much has been made about James’ future and relationship with the Lakers over the past few years. But just a few days into the offseason, the 41-year-old himself has yet to show his cards on what his next move will be.
Reports hint at James either returning to Los Angeles on a smaller deal or going somewhere else to close out his career. At this point, retirement feels like a far-back third option.
However, according to a new article from The Athletic, the idea of retiring could actually cement James’ legacy more than continuing his career – and not for the reason many expect.
Writing for The Athletic, Candace Buckner said that James should retire not because his performance on the court is falling off a cliff in his 23rd season, but rather the opposite.
“For so long, LeBron has picked out the biggest, baddest bully known to every athlete, Time, and made it bow to his whims. Even so, he should leave while he’s ahead and still capable of blowing our minds.”
Buckner’s argument is radical. She’s not saying LeBron is washed. She’s saying he’s still great – and that’s exactly why he should walk away.
Let’s break down Buckner’s reasoning, the Father Time battle, and whether retiring now would be the ultimate power move for the King.
The Father Time Battle: “I’m Kicking His Ass”
Let’s start with LeBron’s own words.
Two days before his 41st birthday, LeBron was asked about his battle with Father Time.
“I’m in a battle with [Father Time] and I would like to say I’m kicking his ass on the back nine.”
That’s vintage LeBron. Confident. Defiant. Unwilling to accept decline.
And the numbers back him up. In his 23rd season, LeBron averaged 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 7.2 assists. He shot 51.5% from the field. He played 60 games. He led the Lakers to the second round of the playoffs.
He’s not done. He’s not declining. He’s still a top-15 player.
But that’s precisely Buckner’s point.
The Buckner Argument: Leave While You’re Ahead
Let’s go back to Buckner’s article.
“He should leave while he’s ahead and still capable of blowing our minds. But before he makes us wonder why this balding, graying old dude in shorts can’t stop anyone on defense … or why he can’t finish at the rim through traffic … or why he can’t lead a franchise back to a championship despite being the recipient of one of the highest salaries in the league.”
Buckner is urging LeBron to avoid the fate that has befallen every other aging superstar. Michael Jordan on the Wizards. Kobe Bryant on the post-Achilles Lakers. Tom Brady on the Buccaneers (though he won a Super Bowl, his final season was rough).
Every great athlete eventually stays too long. They tarnish their legacy. They become a shell of themselves. Fans remember the decline, not the peak.
LeBron has a chance to be different.
The GOAT Comparison: What Jordan and Brady Didn’t Do
Let’s talk about the other legends.
Michael Jordan retired (for the second time) after hitting the game-winning shot in the 1998 Finals. Then he came back. He played for the Washington Wizards. He was still good, but he wasn’t Jordan. He was a 40-year-old averaging 20 points on a bad team.
Kobe Bryant tore his Achilles in 2013. He was never the same. His final seasons were a farewell tour, not a championship chase.
Tom Brady won a Super Bowl with the Buccaneers in his first year there. Then he played two more seasons. He was still good, but the magic was gone.
LeBron has a chance to avoid that. He can retire while he’s still playing at an elite level. He can walk away before the decline begins.
Buckner put it perfectly:
“Brady, Jordan … LeBron. He belongs at their lunch table and deserves to feast where only the GOATs can graze. Yet, he can surpass them and accomplish the one thing that not even the game changers of sport could. All he has to do now is sit down.”
The Legacy Argument: What Beating Father Time Means
Let’s talk about what’s at stake.
Every athlete loses to Father Time eventually. The body breaks down. The skills erode. The game passes you by.
LeBron has fought Father Time longer than anyone. He’s in his 23rd season. He’s still a top-15 player. He’s still dominating.
But if he keeps playing, Father Time will eventually win. It always does.
If LeBron retires now – while he’s still great – he beats Father Time. He wins the battle. He becomes the first superstar athlete to walk away on his own terms, still capable of greatness.
That’s a legacy no other athlete has.
The Lakers’ Situation: A Dysfunctional Environment
Let’s talk about the context.
The Lakers are a mess. They were swept by the Thunder in the second round. The relationship between LeBron and the front office is strained. Remember the game ball incident? The dysfunction has been well-documented.
LeBron could stay. He could sign a smaller deal and try to win another championship. But the Lakers are not close to contending. The Thunder are young and deep. The Spurs are rising. The West is loaded.
Retiring would be an admission that the Lakers aren’t going to win. But it would also be a declaration that LeBron has nothing left to prove.
The Stephen A. Smith Take: “Just Retire”
Let’s bring in another voice.
Stephen A. Smith has also suggested that retirement is a viable option for LeBron.
“The greatness is unquestioned. He’s on the Mount Rushmore of basketball. They keep saying he’s got nothing else to prove! So if you got nothing else to prove and you know the Lakers ain’t winning a thing in the foreseeable future because of OKC, SAS, and MIN ain’t going nowhere. You got nothing else to prove. Retire! Just retire. That is an option.”
Smith is blunt, but he’s not wrong. The Western Conference is brutal. The Thunder are a dynasty in the making. The Spurs have Victor Wembanyama. The Timberwolves are young and talented.
The Lakers are not winning a championship next year. Probably not the year after either.
So why keep playing? Why risk tarnishing the legacy?
The Counterargument: Why LeBron Should Keep Playing
Let’s play devil’s advocate.
LeBron loves basketball. He’s said multiple times that he wants to play until he’s 45. He wants to play with his son Bronny. He wants to chase a fifth championship.
Retiring now would mean walking away from those goals. It would mean admitting that he can’t win another ring. It would mean giving up on playing with his son.
For a competitor like LeBron, that’s a tough pill to swallow.
The Middle Ground: One More Season
Let’s look at a possible compromise.
LeBron could sign a one-year deal with the Lakers (or another team) and give himself one more chance. If it works, great. If it doesn’t, he retires.
That would allow him to chase a fifth ring without committing to a long-term rebuild.
It’s a reasonable option. But it’s also a risk. Another year of decline could tarnish the narrative.
The Buckner Bottom Line: “Time Shouldn’t Be Tempted”
Let’s go back to Buckner’s final thought.
“But if he wants to become the first superstar athlete to defeat Father Time, then James should get out now. This isn’t waving the white flag, but rather realizing that Time shouldn’t be tempted.”
That’s the core of the argument. LeBron has beaten Father Time for 23 years. He’s defied every expectation. He’s still great.
But Father Time is undefeated. If LeBron keeps playing, he will eventually lose. Not because he’s not great – because that’s how time works.
The only way to win is to stop playing.
LeBron James is at a crossroads. He can keep playing. He can chase a fifth championship. He can try to play with his son. He can continue to add to his legacy.
Or he can retire. He can walk away while he’s still great. He can become the first superstar athlete to defeat Father Time.
Candace Buckner argues that retirement is the better option. Not because LeBron can’t play – but because he can. Because leaving while he’s ahead would be the ultimate victory.
Stephen A. Smith agrees. He says LeBron has nothing left to prove. The Lakers aren’t winning anytime soon. So why keep playing?
LeBron has earned the right to choose his own ending. He can keep chasing rings. He can join another team. He can retire.
But if he wants to do something no athlete has ever done – if he wants to beat Father Time – he should get out now.
Not because he’s losing. Because he’s winning.
And that’s the greatest victory of all.