LeBron James is entering his 23rd NBA season — a milestone few ever reach — but not everyone thinks it’s worth celebrating. Hall of Famer Charles Barkley, never one to sugarcoat, dropped a bomb on The Jim Rome Show this week, saying he hopes LeBron “leaves sooner rather than later.” The comment has ignited fierce debate across the NBA world, especially as James continues to recover from a nagging right sciatica injury that’s delayed his season debut with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Barkley’s reasoning was as brutally honest as it was personal. “I hate to see great players out there struggling,” he said. “I really struggled my last year — probably my last two years — and it was humiliating. Obviously, LeBron is a better player than me, but I don’t want to see great players just hanging on.” It’s classic Barkley: blunt, reflective, and bound to ruffle feathers.
While LeBron hasn’t taken the court yet this season, his 2024–25 campaign was hardly one of decline. The 39-year-old was named to the All-NBA Second Team and finished sixth in MVP voting — proof that, even in year 22, he was still competing among the league’s elite. He averaged 24.4 points, 8.2 assists, and 7.8 rebounds in 70 games, numbers that would be career highs for most players, but are merely “another season” for LeBron James.
Yet Barkley’s comments touch a nerve — not because they’re cruel, but because they echo a truth even LeBron has acknowledged: the end is near. “Father Time is always gonna win,” Barkley added, before suggesting the King deserves to leave on his own terms. “I’d love to see him have a farewell tour, then just walk away, because he’s one of the three greatest players I’ve ever seen — after Michael and Kobe.”
That “farewell tour” notion raises the biggest question in the NBA right now: Will LeBron actually hang it up after this season?
So far, James has given no indication of retirement, but he’s no longer making long-term promises either. During Lakers Media Day back in September, LeBron admitted he’s aware that his career is “closer to the end than the beginning.” He also made it clear he no longer plans to wait around for his younger son, Bryce, to enter the league — a subtle but telling shift from his once-famous dream of playing alongside both Bronny and Bryce in the NBA.
For now, all eyes are on LeBron’s recovery. The Lakers have him listed as out indefinitely, pending re-evaluation later this week. Team insiders say he’s progressing well, but the sciatica injury — notoriously tricky for players his age — has raised legitimate concerns about durability. For a player who has built his legacy on superhuman longevity, this is a rare moment of vulnerability.
Meanwhile, the Lakers continue to grind through the early part of the schedule, managing minutes, adjusting rotations, and waiting for their leader to return. But Barkley’s comments have shifted the conversation from “when” LeBron will be back to “whether” he should come back at all.
Because if Barkley is right — if the end truly is near — then every game left could be part of LeBron James’ unofficial farewell. And the question that looms over Los Angeles, and the league as a whole, is simple yet seismic:
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