NBA Insider Says Lakers' LeBron James Wants 'Farewell Tour' Before Retirement

Cleveland.com's Chris Fedor feels that the NBA will get a heads up before LeBron James retires because the Los Angeles Lakers star will want to end his playing career with a "farewell tour."

"Based on everything that I know about LeBron and all the conversations that I've had with people in his general orbit, I believe that LeBron is going to make it known that he is going to retire before he retires," Fedor said at the 3:00 mark of Friday's Wine and Gold Talk podcast episode. "It's not going to be a situation where he plays out the final year, and then in the offseason he just retires.

"The sense that I get is, LeBron wants it all. He wants the farewell tour. He wants all of these different franchises reliving all of his moments against them. He wants all of the glitz and the glam."

Fedor concluded: "If it is 2025-26 when he calls it quits, he's going to let it be known, I would think, coming into this year, that 'Oh, by the way, this is going to be my final year in the NBA.'

"And I would not doubt if that revelation comes on his own Mind the Game podcast rather than anywhere else."

Fedor said that he spoke with James when he traveled with the Lakers for a road game against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

When asked if that game would be his last time playing the Cavs on the road, James "laughed it off," Fedor said.

James later opted in to his $52.6 million player option for the 2025-26 season with the Lakers.

Rich Paul, James' agent, seemingly hinted that this season could be his client's final run with the franchise by saying in a June statement to ESPN's Shams Charania that James "knows the Lakers are building for the future" but "values a realistic chance of winning it all."

ESPN's Ramona Shelburne and Brian Windhorst later reported that the Lakers "did not engage in any substantial discussions" about extending James before he picked up his player option.

James' potential split from the Lakers comes after the franchise selected his son Bronny James in the second round of the 2024 draft.

His second child, incoming Arizona freshman Bryce James, could be eligible for the 2026 NBA draft, per Charania. Bryce's potential entry into the NBA could possibly be one factor James, who will turn 41 in December, weighs when considering whether to return for the 2026-27 season.

As Fedor noted, any updates on James' future this summer might come through his podcast. The show, which also features Steve Nash, releases episodes on Tuesdays.