The Los Angeles Lakers played their final game of the season last night, losing game 4 to the Denver Nuggets 113-111 and subsequently losing the series 4-0. Lebron James played valiantly coming up 1 assist shy of a triple double (40 points 10 rebounds); all while playing all 48 minutes. Concluding Lebron’s postgame press conference he told reporters “Going forward I have a lot to think about”. Following the news conference ESPN’s Dave McMenamin followed up with Lebron to elaborate on his statement.
When you say you got to think about stuff, what thread should we be pulling on that?
“If I want to continue to play,” James said.
As in next year?
“Yeah.”
You would walk away?
“I got to think about it.”
For years Lebron has always stated that it was a goal of his to play with his son “Bronny” James before retiring from the NBA but he has recently softened his stance.
“I’ve done what I’ve had to do in this league, and my son is going to take his journey,” he said. “And whatever his journey, however his journey lays out, he’s going to do what’s best for him. And as his dad, and his mom, Savannah, and his brother and sister, we’re going to support him in whatever he decides to do. So, just because that’s my aspiration or my goal, doesn’t mean it’s his. And I’m absolutely OK with that.”
The signs of decline in play were evident this postseason, only having 2 30+ point scoring games this playoffs, which would be the fewest in his career. For the postseason as whole he only averaged 24.5 points which is the 3rd fewest of his career.
When asked by ESPN if he believed a full summer of rehab could get him back to being the player he was before his foot injury, James nodded.
Why?
“Because I’m still better than 90% of the NBA,” he said. “Maybe 95.”
