NBA super-agent Rich Paul knows LeBron James about as well as anyone, and he thinks the Los Angeles Lakers star has plenty left in the tank.
The Klutch Sports CEO seemed to indicate that James, who turns 39 in December, could play into his mid-40s during an appearance on SiriusXM NBA Radio with Frank Isola and Sarah Kustok.
“Five or six more years? Listen, he’s one guy that I’m not gonna say no about,” Paul said when asked by Isola if James could play until age 44 or 45. “I think it’s important to understand what really motivates him. I know it. Obviously, I have been around … As long as his mind is there, as long as he’s still excited about playing the game, in addition to the health, absolutely [he can].”
A Tom Brady-esque end to James’ career is possible even if he loses a step or two, according to Paul.
“I always tease him, I said, ‘If your athleticism went away, you’d just be Karl Malone, it’s fine. You could pick and pop, shoot the jumper, make the right reads,’” Paul said.
“He can literally play for as long as he wants.”
James completed his 20th season in the NBA and has two years and $97 million left on his Lakers contract, with the final year being a player option.
Minutes after the Lakers were eliminated in the Western Conference finals by the Denver Nuggets, the eventual NBA champions, James left open the possibility that he had played his last NBA game.
“We’ll see, we’ll see what happens going forward,” James said. “I don’t know. I don’t know. I’ve got a lot to think about, to be honest. I’ve got a lot to think about, to be honest.
“Just for me, going forward with the game of basketball, I’ve got a lot to think about. Appreciate it.”
But ESPN reported at the end of May that retirement was unlikely ahead of the 2023-24 season.
James has long said he wants to play in the NBA with his son, Bronny, who committed to play college ball at USC and has been pegged as a potential mid-first-round pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.
James became the NBA’s all-time scoring leader last season and is seeking his fifth NBA title, which would put him in a tie with Kobe Bryant and one behind Michael Jordan.
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