Where Does LeBron Go From Here?

This week, NBA teams have begun to enter the Orlando bubble in preparation for the July 30th restart. Speculation over the results of the playoffs are at an all time high with pictures and videos coming out with both slimmed down and bulked up players ready for the resumption. These images came as a shock as many players were noticeably absent on social media during quarantine.

However, LeBron James has remained present during the highs and lows of this crisis just as he has done throughout his illustrious career. The 35 year old somehow looks like he’s in the best shape of his life and will be coming into the restart with the most rest he’s ever had. That’s all I need to confidently predict the Lakers winning the quarantitle, AD is just a bonus.

This got me thinking, where does LeBron go from here? Assuming the Lakers hoist their 17th banner, what’s the gameplan? He’ll have won a title as the best player on 3 different teams in arguably 3 different eras (Pre-Warriors, Warriors, Bubble). Can he win again for the Lakers? The cynical side of me would scoff at the idea of a 36-37 year old dominating a league full of younger talent. However, it’s almost foolish to assume that we’ll ever see a significant drop off from The King after he’s only seemed to improve as the years go by.

I grew up watching LeBron as many others did. Ever since I’ve loved basketball, he’s been the best player alive, I’d never seen an NBA Finals without him until last year. Taking all of those years into account, 2019-20 LBJ feels like the best version of him we’ve ever seen. He’s had about 5 different stretches in his career that could be called his prime. That’s unheard of.

What happens over his last two contract years with LA will be very telling about his future with basketball. If his production is anywhere near the level it’s been at since 2003, I could see him easily playing through his 40s and destroying Kareem’s all time points record.

I think the trajectory of LeBron’s future will go one of two ways. The more negative option would come in the form of an unprecedented serious injury to the consistently durable star. If this were to happen, I’d expect the conclusion of his Lakers tenure followed by a season-long farewell tour in Cleveland.

The second and more likely option is for LeBron to continue playing at an All Star level before eventually crossing paths with his son, Bronny, in 2024. I’ve had a hunch for many years now that the conclusion to LeBron’s career would come in a matchup between him and his son. What better way to cap off a legendary career than to pass the torch to an individual of your own blood. This ending suits the narrative-obsessed star perfectly and would surely become one of the most iconic moments in sports history.

I doubt that this article will do well in 2020, the year of reckoning. However, I look forward to it setting the internet ablaze during the 2024-25 season when my clairvoyance is put on full display. See you then!

IMAGE CREDIT: Mark J. Terrill