LeBron James, the NBA’s ultimate ironman, turned 40 on Monday, a milestone very few athletes reach while still dominating their sport. Over the course of 22 years, he’s cemented his legacy, completely rewriting record books and reshaping the game itself. As fans celebrate The Chosen One’s incredible longevity, the inevitable question looms: how much longer will he play?

With icons like Michael Jordan and Tom Brady returning to the spotlight after retirement, it’s hard not to wonder if King James might follow their lead. “It’s an itch that still needs to be scratched here and I don’t want that itch to bother me for the rest of my life.” The mighty MJ had said after coming back from retirement for a second time. Even Brady accomplished his goal of playing the NFL at 45 by coming out of retirement.

During a media session on LeBron’s 40th birthday, questions about his future in the league naturally came up—it’s a query we all want to know, right? He didn’t dodge it. Instead, he gave an honest take on how much longer he could keep going at the top of his game.

“To be honest, if I really wanted to, I could probably play this game at a high level for about another—it’s weird I might say this—but I’ve got another five to seven years if I wanted to,” he revealed. “But I’m not gonna do that.”. When the reporter asked about his probability of missing and then returning to the game after retiring, Bron straight up went, “Oh no, no, no. But I would miss the hell out of it for sure. But no, I won’t walk away and come back.” Looks like he’s gonna be a man of his word, but who knows?

LeBron is rewriting what it means to age in the NBA in his 22nd season. The guy’s still putting up insane numbers—23.5 points, 9.0 assists, and 7.9 rebounds a game. At 40, most players would be reminiscing about their careers, not adding another All-Star appearance to the list!

But for another championship, James needs another sharpshooting forward.

LeBron James and JJ Redick eye another shooter to strengthen Lakers title contention

The Lakers made a big move on Sunday, addressing a critical need by acquiring Dorian Finney-Smith from the Brooklyn Nets. Let me tell you, this guy is exactly what the LA team needed. He’s a top-tier wing defender, and get this—he’s hitting 43.5% of his shots from deep this season. With the Lakers ranked 21st in defense, his presence will be a game-changer!

But here’s the kicker: the trade sent D’Angelo Russell packing, leaving the Lakers with just two experienced point guards, Gabe Vincent and Austin Reaves. Now, there’s talk of the 4x MVP stepping in as a pseudo-point guard. I mean, can you blame them? He’s still their best passer, even at 40. But that plan only works if they stack the roster with sharpshooters to complement him.

Finney-Smith is a great start, but let’s not kid ourselves—the Lakers need more. De’Andre Hunter should be their next target if the Hawks are willing to move him. Hunter’s averaging 20.4 points off the bench and draining 45.2% from three. Imagine him alongside LeBron.

That’s deadly.

Atlanta might consider a rebuild, especially with their playoff hopes looking shaky. The Lakers could offer Rui Hachimura, Jaxson Hayes, and Jalen Hood-Schifino to match Hunter’s $21.6 million salary. Sweeten the deal with a 2029 first-round pick, or even Dalton Knecht, and it might just work.

LeBron’s birthday reminds us his NBA window is closing. If the Lakers want another ring, bold moves like this are non-negotiable.