For the first time in his career! Does James final year contract mean he is about to retire?

According to James' agent Ricky Paul, James chose to execute his last year's contract in the new season and stayed with the Lakers for an annual salary of $52.6 million. This is the 23rd season of James' career, and he is also the first player in NBA history to compete for 23 seasons.

Although it is not big news for James to stay in the Lakers, this is the first time in his career that he took the initiative to execute his last year's contract. He either renewed his contract in advance or brought his talent to other coasts.

James' rookie contract is 4 years and $18.79 million. Before the contract was over, the Cavaliers gave him four years and $60 million to renew his contract in advance. This is also a 3+1 contract, and the last year is the player option. James did execute this contract until the last year, but we all know what happened later. James brought his talent to the South Coast of Miami with his freedom and received a 6-year, $110 million maximum salary contract. The contract provided by the Heat is 4+2, and the last two years are player options. As a result, after the execution of the first four years, in 2014, James broke out of the contract and brought his talent back to the Cavaliers. This time he got a 1+1 contract, and the second year was the player option.

The next contract with the Cavaliers was interesting. In 2015, James jumped out of the contract and signed a 1+1, and then jumped out of the previous contract in 2016 and renewed another 2+1. By 2018, James still did not execute his last year's contract and chose to jump out and join the Lakers as a free agent.

The first contract to the Lakers was 153 million in 4 years, with no options, but the second contract to renew the contract was immediately the 1+1 structure he was familiar with. Before the contract expired, James jumped out again and renewed his contract with 1+1 again. Then there is the last contract at present, the 2-year USD 104 million signed in 2024, which is also a 1+1 structure.

So far, James has signed a total of 9 player contracts in his career. Except for the rookie season, 7 of the other 8 contracts contain a "+1 structure", which means that James is always leaving a way out for himself and can always choose to break out of the contract in the last year and leave freely. Such an operation is actually understandable. There is nothing wrong with players thinking about themselves.

But what is rare is that this is the first time in James' 23-year career that he really executed his contract to the last year. This released at least two messages. The first is that the Lakers did not intend to renew his contract with him in advance. The second is that James is old and can no longer take his talent elsewhere like he did back then.

Some fans also speculated that James will retire after the contract? After all, with his current age, it is very difficult to have a maximum salary contract, and it is even more impossible to renew the contract. Think about it, James is 41 years old in the new season. By the time this contract is fulfilled, he is 42 years old! Who dares to renew his appointment for a player of this age?

But James has always regarded himself as a GOAT. It is definitely a shameful thing to go to other teams to work as a role player. Maybe after this contract, James will really consider retirement?