The offseason chatter suggested LeBron James was ceding control of the Lakers to Luka Doncic. But when media day arrived, the 40-year-old was all smiles, unfazed by the noise. Entering an unprecedented 23rd season, questions naturally centered on his motivation and retirement timeline. For LeBron, the answer tied directly to his new superstar teammate and Luka’s dazzling EuroBasket run.

Chris McGee of Spectrum SportsNet asked, “Year 23, what’s in store that keeps you coming back for more?” Two years ago, it was chasing the all-time scoring record. Last year, it was sharing the court with his son, Bronny. This season, it’s about finally playing alongside Doncic for the long haul. “Full season with Luka. For real. Like I get a full season with Luka,” James emphasized. The blockbuster February trade that brought the Slovenian from Dallas to Los Angeles is now set to define LeBron’s latest chapter.

This will mark the first time that the two will undergo training camp together, and possibly be better than last year. That’s the goal for LeBron, too. “Seeing what Luka was doing in EuroBasket this summer. Everyone’s talking about his body and how well in shape he is and all that. Another season under the belt with the coaching staff. We had one year, first year, JJ and his coaching staff. So we get another full year of that. … We get to start right from day one.”

Remember last year, the advice Doncic received on his debut game? “Luka, be your f—– self. Don’t fit in, fit the f— out. Be yourself.” On the court, we saw that in 28 games, his average was 28.2 points. This helped the Lakers secure the third spot in the Western Conference. Unfortunately, the team roster and chemistry weren’t good enough to win the title last year. But now, Bron is looking forward to it.

“It was obviously a difficult transition bringing in Luka, kind of like the halfway point or whatever and trying to figure that out and we all figuring out each other. The best thing about this year is that we’re starting right now. Training camp, day one, know the system, know what we wanna do.”

In the off-season, both stars got paid handsomely. LeBron James opted in to his $52.6 million offer, while Luka Doncic accepted a three-year contract extension worth $165 million. So it’s clear that the 5x All-Star is the cornerstone of the franchise. Does that mean the King is retiring sooner?

Even some of the family members won’t be involved when LeBron James makes the inevitable decision

As stated, the mood during the media day from the Akron Hammer was jovial. But talking about hanging up his boots, James said, “I don’t know when the end is, but I know it’s a lot sooner than later.” Missing college to enter the NBA and then etching the scoring title to his name, he truly justified his ‘Chosen One’ tag.

However, James made it clear during media day that while teaming up with Luka Magic is motivating, it won’t determine how long he keeps playing.

When asked if playing with the Slovenian star would influence his decision to step away, the 40-year-old didn’t hesitate: “Zero,” James said. He then clarified, “The motivation to be able to play alongside him every night? That’s super motivating. That’s what I’m gonna train my body for — every night I go out there and try to be the best player I can for him, and we’re gonna bounce that off one another. But as far as me and some of my other teammates affecting how long I’ll play … it won’t be a meeting with my teammates.”

That includes his son, Bronny James, who’s entering his rookie year, as well as Bryce. Neither will influence the eventual decision. “It’ll be a decision between me, my wife, and my daughter,” James added.

For now, his $52.6 million player option for 2025–26 provides flexibility with unrestricted free agency looming next summer. But the immediate focus is clear: improving on last season and chasing a championship in his first full campaign alongside Doncic.