Guessing What LeBron James' 'Second Decision' Is Really About

LeBron James sent the internet into a tizzy on Monday when he posted a cryptic tease for his "Second Decision" on social media.

Seeing this on the heels of his "Forever King" ad for Nike last month, it's easy to wonder if the time for LeBron's retirement (and retirement tour) is finally here.

But given the length of his career (22 years and counting) and how well he played last season (when he was second-team All-NBA and finished sixth in MVP voting), it's also fair to doubt that day will ever come.

So, what might this announcement be?

We have some guesses below.

A Trade Request?!

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While this is probably the least likely potential reality, we'll at least throw it out there.

The first "Decision," of course, came in 2010, when LeBron announced his departure from the Cleveland Cavaliers and intent to sign with the Miami Heat.

The moment essentially began the NBA's player empowerment era.

Now, LeBron's future isn't quite as firmly in his own hands as it was in 2010. He was a free agent that summer. Right now, he's under contract with the Lakers through the end of this season.

But he is LeBron James. And he is on an expiring contract. A trade request would still carry plenty of weight, especially if he announced it in a highly produced video.

It's just difficult to imagine him pulling that lever this close to the season and after everything seemed hunky-dory on media day.

A New Business Venture

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For the majority of his career, LeBron has been one of the NBA's preeminent businessmen.

Over his 22 seasons, he's made over $500 million in salary alone, but Forbes lists his net worth at $1.3 billion.

That obviously means he's making money off the court, and we've all seen the partnerships. LeBron has done business with Nike, Amazon, Beats by Dre, Pepsi and State Farm, to name just a few major corporations. He also owns a production company, a stake in Fenway Sports Group and a portion of Blaze Pizza.

Announcing an addition to his already eye-popping portfolio wouldn't be at all surprising, given his record.

An Amazon Collaboration

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Earlier this summer, LeBron collaborated with Amazon (whose studio hosts his Mind the Game podcast) to announce upcoming Prime Days.

And wouldn't you know it...Amazon's next Prime Day is scheduled to start on—yep, you guessed it—October 7.

This feels like the likeliest reason for LeBron's tease on Monday, but it would make for a heck of a swerve to lay all those breadcrumbs leading to Amazon and announce something different (and much bigger).

Retirement

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LeBron turns 41 in December. This season, he's probably going to pass Kareem Abdul-Jabbar again, this time for the record for most NBA points scored by a player in his 40s.

LeBron has already gone far beyond where most players get in the NBA. And after 23 years, no one could reasonably blame him for choosing to move on.

It also wouldn't be at all surprising for him to announce his retirement, to tease that announcement and then to celebrate it in every city he visits as a player for the next nine months.

Among the many accomplishments and titles LeBron has earned over the course of his career, "media savant" may be the hardest to discount. For most of his two-plus decades in the league, he has been a legitimate master at crafting narratives and dispensing them through the media.

And you can be sure that whenever his farewell arrives, the story will be told loud, clear and often.

Other Possibilities

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Of course, LeBron has surprised us before. He could go off the board and do something completely unexpected Tuesday.

You may have some ideas hovering on the edge of the realm of possibility. And so do we.

Over the years, LeBron has certainly weighed in on who his coaches will be (or how long they'll last). Maybe he'll give us a timeline on JJ Redick's tenure with the Los Angeles Lakers.

His Amazon deal is pretty prevalent at the moment. Perhaps he could put a little pressure on the mega-corporation and publicly demand a raise.

Jim Gray was lucky enough to host the first "Decision" in 2010. Maybe he'll reveal his choice for a similar production in 2045 (I'm available, or at least I hope I'll be).

There have been rumblings about involvement in an alternative basketball league. Especially after the NBA seemingly cooled on expansion, fans in Seattle and Las Vegas would probably love to hear they could have a team there.

Heck, maybe Adam Silver will just have LeBron announce the Los Angeles Clippers' punishment for their alleged cap circumvention. That would be more fun than a buttoned-up press conference with the commissioner.

The possibilities are endless. Fortunately, we don't have to wait too long for the reality.