Lakers Rumors: LeBron James' Retirement Comments Product of 'Raw Time' After Loss

LeBron James left open the possibility that his historic NBA career could be over in the wake of the Los Angeles Lakers' loss to the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals.

Per ESPN's Dave McMenamin, James' comments teasing retirement in the immediate aftermath of Monday's Game 4 loss were the product of a "raw time" for the future Hall of Famer.

Speaking to reporters following the 113-111 loss, James made some vague comments that could be interpreted as him potentially considering retirement.

"We'll see what happens going forward," he said. "I don't know. I don't know. I've got a lot to think about, to be honest. Just for me, personally, going forward with the game of basketball, I've got a lot to think about."

McMenamin got clarification from James afterward in which he specifically said he could walk away from the NBA.

This was a long, strange season for James and the Lakers. It started with the team looking like a disorganized mess with a 2-10 record after 12 games.

General manager Rob Pelinka reshaped the roster before the trade deadline by bringing in several new players, including Rui Hachimura, Malik Beasley, D'Angelo Russell, Jarred Vanderbilt and Mo Bamba.

The Lakers closed the regular season with a 19-8 record over their final 27 games. They earned the No. 7 seed by beating the Minnesota Timberwolves in the play-in tournament and made a run to the Western Conference Finals.

James had another highly-productive performance in his 20th NBA season. The 19-time All-Star averaged 28.9 points, 8.3 rebounds and 6.8 assists per game during the regular season. He missed 27 games due to injuries, including 13 straight from Feb. 28 to March 24 because of a torn tendon in his foot. The injury might require offseason surgery.

This marked the third consecutive season and fourth time in his five years with the Lakers that James has missed at least 26 games due to injuries. He missed only 71 games in his first 15 seasons combined.

Despite playing through the foot injury, James was dominant in the postseason. He averaged 24.5 points, 9.9 rebounds and 6.5 assists per game in 16 starts. The four-time NBA MVP played all but four seconds in Monday's elimination game against the Nuggets and scored 40 points.