Getty Images LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers.
LeBron James celebrated the Los Angeles Lakers offseason moves on social media, a sign that he has no plans to step away from the game just yet.
Shortly after the Lakers were swept in the Western Conference Finals, rumors started to circulate that James was contemplating retirement. James also sounded unsure of his future in his postgame press conference.
“We’ll see what happens going forward,” James 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.”
James has been fairly quiet this offseason on his future plans but parading the Lakers’ roster moves on Instagram appears to be a pretty clear sign that he’s ready to come back for another run.
LeBron James’ Instagram story on Saturday afternoon featured photos of all the players the Lakers made agreements with in the first day of free agency. Certainly a tacit sign of approval from the L.A. vet entering his 21st season.
Lakers Follow Through on Offseason Goals
The Lakers were able to make some significant moves in free agency while retaining the majority of their roster, notably Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura and D’Angelo Russell. Reaves and Hachimura were restricted free agents, while Russell was unrestricted.
On top of the continuity, the Lakers added some key pieces in Gabe Vincent, Taurean Price and former top 10 pick Jaxson Hayes. The moves match up with what Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka said the goals were for this offseason.
“We want to try our hardest to keep this core of guys together and also improve around the edges and on the margins to not only get back to where we were last year but hopefully take the next step and get into the NBA Finals,” Pelinka said.
As for James’ future, all indications have been that he’ll return for another season, despite the retirement talk.
“I haven’t spoken to anyone who thinks LeBron James is retiring,” Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times reported in June. “The biggest reasons given to me for his comments after Game 4: fatigue from the season, frustration with getting swept and a reminder to the front office that the Lakers’ title window is closing, keeping a sense of urgency in the foreground.”
Lakers Still Eyeing Reunion With Former Big Man
The Lakers might not be done reuniting with familiar faces. The team still has a need for some depth in their frontcourt and Mo Bamba — who the team waived prior to free agency — or veteran big man Tristan Thompson are options.
“L.A. is targeting another big man with its 14th roster spot, according to team sources. They are likely to carry 14 guaranteed contracts into the season, leaving one roster spot open,” Jovan Buha of The Athletic reported. “Mo Bamba, whom the Lakers waived on Thursday, and Tristan Thompson, who joined the team right before their playoff run, remain options to fill that 14th spot, according to league sources. The big man market has been dry so far during this free-agency period, so the Lakers could also wait to see if better options present themselves.”
After not playing during the regular season, Thompson saw just 32 minutes of action in the postseason, much of that coming in blowout situations. Bamba is a former top-10 pick and is just 25, so the idea of bringing him back on a smaller contract is a much more intriguing option.