LeBron Reportedly Said Wife Savannah Wants Him to 'F--king Retire' in Next Year or So

If the wife of Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James had her way, then the 21-time All-Star would be approaching his NBA swan song.

ESPN's Shams Charania noted James recently dined with wife Savannah along with others including former teammate Kevin Love and his wife, Kate. At one point in conversation, LeBron purportedly said Savannah "wants me to f--king retire in the next year or so."

James is going to play at least one more season after opting into his $52.6 million salary for 2025-26, per Charania.

The King will turn 41 in December and has 22 seasons under his belt already. Not to mention, he has achieved everything at an individual and team level in the NBA, so there's almost nothing he can do at this point to bolster his legacy.

In the past, a lot of fans have shrugged their shoulders whenever the four-time MVP intimated he might retire. He continued to play at too high a level to actually retire, and there was often a clear benchmark standing in front of him, such as becoming the NBA's all-time leading scorer or playing alongside son Bronny.

Now, the intrigue with LeBron is starting to feel more real because the signs of his mortality are apparent.

His scoring average (24.4 points) from 2024-25 was the second-lowest of his career, and he attempted his fewest free throws (4.7 per game). The 6'9" forward isn't dominating on offense like he once did, nor can he put his team on his back to the degree he did at his peak.

The fact James is opting in with the Lakers rather than signing a one-plus-one contract (one guaranteed year and a player option) could be telling as to his mindset.

The surefire Hall of Famer hasn't said he's hanging up his sneakers after the upcoming season. Being on an expiring contract would allow him to make a clean break from professional basketball next summer, though.