Los Angeles Lakers veteran LeBron James is not sure what the future holds for him after his record-setting 23rd NBA season ended with 115-110 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 4 of a second-round.
“I think you guys asked me about [retirement], and I’ve answered questions. I don’t think I’ve come out and been like, ‘Oh, retirement is coming,’” James said. “With my future, I don’t know, honestly. It’s, obviously it’s still fresh from, obviously losing [the series]. And I don’t know. I don’t know what the future holds for me.”
The veteran played for 40 minutes on Monday and ended with 24 points and a game-high 12 rebounds as L.A. led in the final minute against the defending NBA champions but could not get over the line.
“I left everything I could on the floor,” said James, who missed a driving floater attempt with 20.3 seconds left in the fourth quarter and the Lakers trailing by one. “I can leave the floor saying, ‘S—, even though I hate losing obviously, I was locked in on what we needed to do. … I tried to make sure our guys were locked in on what we needed to do throughout the postseason, throughout 10 games.
“And obviously we fell a little short, but I’m not looking at my year as a disappointment, that’s for damn sure.”
James said he would take a call on his future if he can continue to love the process of preparing his body before every match.
“I think for me it’s about the process,” James said. “If I can commit to still being in love with the process of showing up to the arena 5½ hours before a game to start preparing for a game, giving everything I got, diving for loose balls and doing everything that you know that it takes to go out and play.
“Showing up to practices, 11 o’clock practice, I’m there at 8 o’clock preparing my body, preparing my mind, preparing to practice, to put the work in. So I think for me, I’ve always been in love with the process … so I think that would be a big factor.”
It would be interesting to note James’ decision ahead of the next season.

