LeBron James noncommittal on future with Lakers after early playoff exit

LeBron James noncommittal on future with Lakers after early playoff exit

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LeBron James remained noncommittal when discussing his future with the Los Angeles Lakers following the team’s first-round loss to the defending NBA champions on Monday night. 

James, 39, fielded several questions about his future with the Lakers after Los Angeles suffered a narrow loss to the Denver Nuggets in Game 5 on Monday night. He declined to say if it would be his last game repping the purple and gold. 

LeBron James runs

LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers dribbles the ball during the playoff game against the Nuggets on April 29, 2024, at the Ball Arena in Denver. (Bart Young/NBAE via Getty Images)

“I’m not going to answer that.” 

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“Haven’t given it much thought,” he also said when asked what he’ll weigh when making a decision about his 22nd NBA season. “Obviously, at some point, I’ll sit down with Rich, my agent, and sit down with my family and see what’s best for my career. We’ll cross that when we need to.”

James finished with 30 points, 11 assists and 9 rebounds in the Lakers’ 108-106 loss to the Nuggets on Monday night. 

LeBron James on court

LeBron James of the Lakers during game four of the Western Conference first-round playoffs at Crypto.com Arena on April 27, 2024, in Los Angeles. (Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

He said his immediate focus will be on his family and preparing for training camp with USA Basketball ahead of the Olympic Games in Paris this summer. 

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According to ESPN, James will have until June 29 to decide if he will opt into the final year of his contract or become an unrestricted free agent. 

But the Lakers are facing another big decision. Head coach Darvin Ham is in the hot seat after back-to-back series losses to Denver.

Darvin Ham watches the Lakers warm up

Head coach Darvin Ham of the Lakers watches his team warm up before the game against Brooklyn Nets at Crypto.com Arena on Jan. 19, 2024, in Los Angeles. (Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

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“My mind is all over the place right now,” Ham said Monday when asked to sum up his two years with the Lakers. “Maybe at some point I’ll give you an answer. It’s been a hell of a two years, I’ll tell you that. Ultimately, you want to win that ultimate prize.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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by FOXNews