NBA: LeBron James mulling retirement, LA Lakers to hold talks with the legend | NBA News – Times of India

Has Los Angeles Lakers’ legend LeBron James decided to end his decorated NBA career? The 38-year-old basketball icon stunned everyone on Monday when he commented that he was mulling retirement, following Lakers’ 4-0 loss to Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals.
The Lakers, however, are hopeful that James would have a rethink on what he told ESPN, after his 40-point show in the 17-time champions’ defeat to Nuggets in Game 4.
The Lakers’ team chief Rob Pelinka said on Tuesday that he hoped James would continue his NBA career, but said he had “earned the right” to retire.
James retirement hint appeared to catch many — including the Lakers front office — off-guard, given that James signed a two-year contract extension with the team last August.
Pelinka said that he and head coach Darvin Ham will hold talks with James soon to discuss his future, while emphasising the club would support whatever he chose to do.
“Coach and I will speak to LeBron in the coming days,” Pelinka said. “We all know that he speaks for himself and we’ll look forward to those conversations when the time is right. But I will say this — LeBron has given as much to the game of basketball as anyone who’s ever played.
“And when you do that, you earn the right to decide whether you’re going to give more.”
Pelinka said it was possible James had reached an “inflection point” in his career.

(AI image)
“Our job at the Lakers organization is to support any player on our team if they reach a career inflection point,” Pelinka said.
“LeBron is surrounded by incredible people. I’m sure he’ll have conversations with them. In the coming days we’ll be in contact with him and his team and really providing nothing but support for him.
“Obviously, our hope would be that his career continues. But we want to give him the time to have that inflection point and support him in everything he does.”
Ham echoed Pelinka’s comments, praising James for his input during a season which saw the Lakers make a disastrous 2-10 start before retooling their roster and making a deep run in the playoffs.
“I think I was ready to retire last night too,” Ham joked. “But in all honesty and seriousness, LeBron has earned the right to do whatever he wants to do. I just want to thank him … especially him, for being a consistent resource for me as a first time head coach.
“I’ve been around the game for a long time, and he was the most supportive, knowledgeable, communicative resources that I had all year. He was right there front and center for me and my staff. So he’s earned the right to decide whatever he wants to do.”
Pelinka, meanwhile, said that the Lakers hoped to keep the core of the roster that finished the season as they build for the future.
“We’re incredibly proud of this group …keeping that continuity is going to be very important,” Pelinka said.
“We ultimately got knocked out by a team that has great continuity. They’ve got a group of players who’ve been together for several seasons and it shows in the way they play. So continuity is a high priority for us.”
(With agency inputs)