LeBron James’ 23rd season came to an unfortunate end after the Los Angeles Lakers were  eliminated by the Oklahoma City Thunder in this year's playoffs. The Thunder, last-year’s NBA champions, are the current favorites to win the  championship and will play the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference semi-finals. Hopes were high for James and the Lakers ahead of the playoffs, but unlucky injuries for both Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves meant that the team was extremely under-manned. Despite losing both of their primary scorers, the Lakers were still able to beat the Houston Rockets in six games. 

This was a special season for James in terms of longevity, as he surpassed both the record for most seasons played and the record for most games played. Fans and analysts alike are continually questioning when James will finally be done with basketball, but it seems impossible to guess what his plans are. Every time his retirement has been brought up, James responds by saying he will quit when he feels as though he can no longer give the game everything he can. This season was also the first where James’ numbers took a noticeable dip, averaging just under 21 points — his lowest since his rookie year. 

Could this have been James’ last season? It seems unlikely he would announce his retirement after a season rather than before in order to do a farewell tour like Kobe Bryant. Even if James didn’t want to do a farewell tour, it’s likely that the league would still recognize his last season and celebrate him, as previous teams did with greats like Dirk Nowitzki or Tim Duncan. 

One small issue with a possible farewell tour is that players usually rejoin the team they were with for most of their career, which for James would be the Cleveland Cavaliers. That’s a lot easier to ask of players like Dwayne Wade or Allen Iverson who weren’t perennial all-stars. If James were to switch teams, it would be a move that could have huge consequences for both the Lakers and the Cavaliers. This means that he likely won’t be able to do a farewell tour with his home-state team until he starts playing a lot worse.

The most probable scenario is that James plays at least one more normal season with the Lakers. If after next year his numbers have taken a substantial dip, then a farewell tour with the Cavaliers might follow — but as long as he continues to perform at a high level despite his age, he will continue to play. 

— Editors Note: Due to technological restraints, the Cs in Luka Doncic's name are missing special characters.