"I have to stop": LeBron James' poignant words equated to Tom Brady’s retirement by NBA analyst

Following the LA Lakers' first-round exit in the postseason, talk of LeBron James retiring has been a hot topic in NBA circles. One analyst recently drew comparisons between the superstar forward and an all-time great in a different sport.

On the "Colin Cowherd Podcast," FS1's Nick Wright brought up LeBron eventually walking away from basketball. He thinks it will be similar to what happened with Tom Brady, that being James' skill will never decline; he will simply hit a point where he deems it's time to stop.

"It made me think of Brady to a degree," Wright said. "'I'm never going to be bad, but at some point I'm gonna have to stop.'"

"Most guys get forced out. They're averaging five points a game. He's not gonna be that so at some point he's just going to have to be like I guess I'm done. And's that kind of what happened with Tom."

At the age of 39, LeBron James is still competing at a high level. In the regular season, he averaged 25.7 points, 7.3 rebounds and 8.2 assists. LeBron carried that dominance into the postseason, averaging just shy of 28 PPG against the reigning champions.

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LeBron James clears air on retirement rumors with social media post

When the LA Lakers got eliminated in 2023, LeBron James hinted at the idea of retirement. This time, it has been fans and analysts starting the debate.

Earlier this week, LeBron took to social media to set the record straight regarding his future. As of now, he has no thoughts on what's next for him. In the meantime, he plans to spend time with his friends and family while he weighs his options.

Retirement is not the only big decision LeBron James is going to have to make this summer. He also has to figure out what he's going to do with his contract.

LeBron has a player option with the Lakers for next season worth $51.4 million. He could opt into the year and ride it out with LA or decide to be an unrestricted free agent a year early.

There have been countless reports on what LeBron might do in regards to his deal. Brian Windhorst expects him to decline the option but remain with the Lakers. Seeing that few contending-level teams have cap space this summer, his options would be limited on the open market.

The other major factor for LeBron is his oldest son, Bronny James. His son could get drafted this summer, and the Lakers are reportedly interested in selecting him. Over the last few years, LeBron has made it clear that it's a goal of his to play alongside his son in the NBA.