With his outstanding talents, flexibility, and multiple honors, Kawhi Leonard, is?an indisputable force on the basketball court. Due to that, he?has etched his name into the books of NBA history. However, as the NBA introduces new regulations to protect player health and promote the game’s competitive spirit, Leonard finds himself at a crossroads in his career.

How will these restrictions affect Kawhi Leonard’s future? And the main question is: Is retirement on the horizon for Kawhi Leonard? In the podcast Oddball with Amin Elhassan and Charlotte Wilder, this question arose with a twist. Will Leonard retire before the King, LeBron James?

Will Leonard retire before James?

Because of his injury history, the term “load management” has become associated with Kawhi Leonard. He could not play more than 60 games every season over the previous three seasons with the Clippers. Despite this, his influence on the floor is evident, as he averages 25.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 4.7 assists in restricted minutes while retaining his defensive brilliance. Kawhi Leonard has five All-Defensive team choices, five All-NBA selections, two Defensive Player of the Year trophies, two NBA Finals MVP crowns, and one All-Star MVP trophy on his player record. However, in order to add to his legacy, he must play in additional games under the new regulations.

The NBA has updated its resting regulations, limiting the availability of elite players for the same game. This shift might greatly impact?Leonard, who, like Paul George, is routinely rested to guarantee long-term performance and playoff fitness. Furthermore, great players are now expected to compete in nationally televised games and in-season tournaments, which might impact Leonard’s playing time.

Read More: ?Forced? to Accept Embarrassing Truth, Shaquille O?Neal Envious of All-Time Leading Scorer and It Is Not LeBron James

Due to this, the debate about Kawahi’s retirement occurred on the podcast. The question was will Leonard retire before LeBron James? Wilder answered, “I don’t know I feel like LeBron is LeBron. So I guess it’s hard to talk about retirement because he’s probably gonna try to play till he’s 50”. Then they started to consider the age factor and she asked, “How old is Kawahi?” To which Elhassan said, “About 33 years old give or take”. To which Wilder replied, “I think he will play longer than LeBron”.

Then Elhassan gave his take on the matter saying, “Kawahi is hurt all the goddamn time. When has he been healthy? The last 5 years who’s played more, him or LeBron?”

When will LeBron retire?

After months of theory, NBA superstar LeBron James has officially put an end to his retirement speculations. During an appearance at the ESPYs, James stated that he is not ready to hang up his basketball shoes yet. Despite his 39th birthday in December, he confirmed his intention to play with the Los Angeles Lakers for at least another year. LeBron James stressed his dedication to the game in a passionate statement after earning the award for Best Record-Breaking Performance for becoming the league’s all-time top scorer.

He stated that he will retire as long as he can give his best on the court without cheating the game. But, as he emphatically stated, that day is not now. LeBron James, who signed a two-year contract extension with the Lakers in August, is under contract with the team through the 2024-2025 season. With this statement, fans can expect to see more of his incredible abilities and talents for at least another year.

Watch this Story: Not for Lebron James to Opt-in on $51,415,938 Player Option, Lakers Would Actually Recruit 18YO Son Bronny for His Skills