Lakers' LeBron James Says His Future NBA Retirement Will 'Be a Celebration of Life'

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James has apparently started thinking about what he wants his NBA retirement to look like down the stretch of his age-41 season.

"I kind of look at it like when you lose a loved one and you have a funeral," James told the California Post's Melissa Rohlin. "People tend to be sad, but it's also a celebration of life.

"I think for me, when I'm done with this game, it'll be a celebration of life and not of loss. It'll be a celebration of everything I've been able to accomplish in this game, everything I've put into it. The moments, all the love."

James is averaging 21.4 points, 5.6 rebounds and 7.0 assists per game through 44 contests this season in Los Angeles. He has not yet confirmed whether he plans to return for another season after his current Lakers contract expires this summer.

That uncertainty means James hasn't received retirement tributes from teams this season, although he did receive an emotional video feature when making his return to Cleveland in January.

There has been some speculation that James, an Ohio native who played parts of 11 seasons and won a championship with the Cavs, could return to his former team before deciding to retire.

ESPN's Tim MacMahon said in February there was "rampant speculation" around the NBA that James would have "a reunion and potentially a retirement tour for the ages back home again with the Cleveland Cavaliers next year."

James has previously stated, however, that his decision whether to keep playing will hinge on his body's ability to keep up with the NBA season.

The Athletic's Dan Woike recently reported that "the sense among sources around James is that he was sincere on All-Star Sunday when he told reporters he didn't know what his future would look like," and that there is no "real consensus" among James' teammates and coaches as to what he might do.

"While there's a chance that James knows which way he's leaning, one league source said James is also smart enough to know it would be foolish to make any permanent decisions in the emotional fog of an 82-game season," Woike wrote.

For now James will hope to end this season, whether or not it's his last in the NBA, with a playoff run with the Lakers. The Lakers are heading into Friday night's matchup against the visiting Indiana Pacers with a 37-25 record, good for No. 6 in the West.