LeBRON James wasn't ready to make a decision about his NBA future in the wake of the Los Angeles Lakers' season-ending loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday.
The visiting Thunder prevailed 115-110 to sweep a Western Conference semifinal series âdespite James registering 24 points and a game-high 12 rebounds.
James, 41, just completed his record-setting 23rd NBA season, âand the league's all-time leading scorer is heading into unrestricted free agency.
"What my future (holds), I don't know, obviously," he said after the defeat. "I mean, this is obviously still fresh from obviously losing and I don't know. I mean, I don't know what the future holds for me obviously âas it stands right now tonight.
"I got a lot of time to sit back like I think I said âlast year after we lost, I think to Minnesota, to go back and recalibrate with my â family and talk with them and spend some time with them and then when the time comes, I'll obviously you âguys will know what I decide to do."
James was selected to his 22nd consecutive All-Star Game as he thrived in an âunfamiliar role for much of the season. Luka Doncic was the Lakers' top offensive threat, and he led the league with an average of 33.5 points per game. Austin Reaves ranked second on the team at 23.3 ppg, with James third at 20.9 ppg.
James contributed 7.2 assists and 6.1 ârebounds per contest.
Doncic missed all of the Lakers' playoff games due to a hamstring injury. Reaves sat out the final âfive regular-season games and first four postseason games because of oblique strains.
In the playoffs, James averaged 23.2 points, 7.3 assists and 6.7 rebounds.
"Obviously we âfell â a little short, but I'm not looking at my year as a disappointment, that's for damn sure," James said. "I was put in some positions I never played in my career before, actually in my life. I've never been a third option in my life.
"So, to be able to thrive in that role for that period of time and then have to step back into âthe role that I've been âaccustomed with over my career â or my life playing this sport and be able to thrive under that and then just my teammates allowing me to lead them under extreme circumstances, I thought that was pretty cool âfor me at this stage of my career."
Reaves, 27, also has a decision to make âabout his future. â The 27-year-old guard has a $14.9 million player option that he is expected to decline to become an unrestricted free agent.
"It's been fun. It's been a joy. It's been a grind," Reaves said after the Lakers' Monday loss. "A lot of things didn't go our way â this season âand there were a lot of opportunities for us to quit, and âyou know, that's not who we got in the locker room or the organization. Everybody stuck together.
"I've been around the NBA for five years now. I know âa lot of teams would have given up (due to late-season injuries), and that wasn't the case with this team."
Reaves, 27, also has a decision to make âabout his future. â The 27-year-old guard has a $14.9 million player option that he is expected to decline to become an unrestricted free agent.
"It's been fun. It's been a joy. It's been a grind," Reaves said after the Lakers' Monday loss. "A lot of things didn't go our way â this season âand there were a lot of opportunities for us to quit, and âyou know, that's not who we got in the locker room or the organization. Everybody stuck together.
"I've been around the NBA for five years now. I know âa lot of teams would have given up (due to late-season injuries), and that wasn't the case with this team."
REUTERS
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