LeBron James made a surprise post on social media today, writing: “The decision of all decisions — October 7, 12 p.m. ET.” He was even wearing the same shirt he wore during The Decision Part 1, which immediately sparked speculation among fans. Some believe he might be preparing to leave the Lakers — though that’s considered highly unlikely. If LeBron were truly planning to leave, he probably would’ve made that choice earlier. After all, the preseason has already started, and the Lakers have a legitimate shot at success this year. Switching teams now would create issues with chemistry and media attention, making it far less practical than staying in Los Angeles.
After LeBron’s post, several players reacted to it online. His teammate Jarred Vanderbilt seemed confused, commenting: “What’s going on?” Ja Morant responded with a simple “No,” which many fans interpreted as concern that LeBron might be hinting at retirement. That’s not impossible—Kobe Bryant, for example, announced his farewell tour around this same time in October.
Knicks player Josh Hart also jumped into the comments, joking: “This Amazon Prime discount isn’t enough to feed a family,” suggesting LeBron’s post probably had nothing to do with retirement. NBA insider Brett previously reported that LeBron had signed a major deal with Amazon, and with Prime Day starting tomorrow, the timing seems far from coincidental. If this isn’t part of an Amazon promotion, then it could be LeBron announcing that the upcoming season will be his last with the Lakers. Still, it’s hard to imagine him announcing retirement in this kind of promotional way.
The Lakers’ beat reporter also weighed in, saying: “You’ll find out the full details of this decision soon, but in any case, I think LeBron will officially announce that this will be his final season at the latest during the Lakers’ first road trip. By the way, I don’t think this teaser is about retirement, but I do believe it’s his last year.” In his view, LeBron is unlikely to retire immediately, but the coming season will probably be his farewell run.
As the team reporter noted, LeBron keeps his inner circle very tight, so it’s hard for anyone to know his plans in advance. But at this point, there are two most likely possibilities for his upcoming announcement:
It’s tied to his Amazon partnership; or
It’s about retirement.
Clearly, LeBron knows exactly how to generate attention—and the Lakers are benefiting from it financially.
According to ticketing platforms, right after LeBron’s tweet, ticket prices for the Lakers’ final home game of the regular season (against the Jazz) skyrocketed. The cheapest tickets, which were about $85 just hours earlier, have now surged to $445, more than five times higher. Once again, the opponent happens to be the Jazz—who seem destined to be part of every superstar’s farewell game. If this really is LeBron’s final home appearance, it could be another emotional, one-sided night.
As the new season tips off, LeBron is entering his 23rd NBA season—wearing No. 23 for 23 seasons, a poetic full circle. He reportedly plans to establish an eight-team touring league, where players could share in the revenue, offering more opportunities for others to participate. If he truly wants to draw attention to his new league, playing in it himself would be the fastest way to do so.
For the sake of his long-term business interests and his goal of eventually becoming a team owner, it’s not impossible that LeBron will play one more NBA season before joining his own league.
Statistically, if LeBron plays 49 games this season, he will surpass Robert Parish (1,611 games) to become the player with the most regular-season appearances in NBA history. LeBron may not be the tallest mountain in basketball history—but he’s certainly the longest river.
Meanwhile, the Lakers’ preseason is already underway. LeBron and Luka Dončić have both sat out the first two games, and the Lakers lost both contests. From what we’ve seen so far, the new additions—Ayton and LaRavia—haven’t quite met expectations. While they might help the team in certain areas, their impact seems limited. Unless the Lakers make some trades once the regular season begins, it could be difficult for this roster to seriously contend for a championship. Compared to teams like the Thunder and Rockets, the Lakers still appear to be a step behind.
