Tonight was maybe the last time LeBron James walked off in a Laker jersey. Maybe it was the last time he suited up, period. At 41, with Year 23 officially wrapped, the questions about retirement are back at the forefront. James never directly addresses them, but knows the end is sooner rather than later. However, to decide if there will be a Year 24, the process matters.

Having the same routine has been the catalyst behind James’ longevity. Those early hours waking up to start a workout or getting to the arena well before game time: LeBron James fell in love with all of that. But now, at a stage where his family deserves a seat at the decision-maker’s table for the sacrifices they made, James revealed their input matters the most.

“I’ve always enjoyed the process more than the outcome, you know. So, I think that would be a big factor. And then also, you know, have a conversation with my 12-year-old daughter, you know, that’s a big factor. And my 19-year-old son is entering his second year at Arizona, you know, and my wife as well. So, they’re a huge factor in any decision I’ve made. So, they’ll be a big part of it as well,” James revealed.

The Akron Hammer also needs to do some self-introspection. Would LeBron James still want to arrive at 8 in the morning for an 11 am practice? Does he still feel like diving for loose balls? That’s not to be confused with his love for the game. James didn’t turn into a basketball junkie because that was how you win in the NBA. That side of him is innate.

He compared it to something Michael Jordan said during an interview with NBC as a special contributor. “He was just talking about his desire for the game still, like even though he’s not playing, but like he still loves the game. Like that would never go away. Like we grow up playing a game that we love, and you do it at a high level, and I don’t think that’ll ever go away,” James said.

What Michael Jordan said is that the love for basketball propelled everything he built, and not the other way around. MJ just needed a basketball hoop to be happy. That’s exactly how LeBron James feels about the games. The rewards and accomplishments came with mastery and decoding the art of winning. That’s where the process is really important. It acts as a sense of control, where James knows that taking that path leads to titles.

So, when making any decision about the future, he’ll take those thoughts into account too.

“I think for me it’s about the process. like, you know, if I can commit to still being in love with the process of showing up to the arena five and a half hours before a game to start preparing for a game, you know, giving everything I got,” that’s when James will know how he feels about going for another year in the NBA.

The only goal that makes LeBron James come back for more

Having to adjust to playing with Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, LeBron James felt he found something to do that he’s never done before. “I’m not looking at you know my year as a disappointment. That’s for damn sure. Especially, I mean, I was put into some positions I’ve never played in my career before. Actually, in my life. I’ve never been a third option in my life,” James opened up.

That period was brief. Luka Doncic’s hamstring strain and Reaves suffering an oblique injury meant James was back at the throne. Through ten games in the postseason, the 22-time All-Star averaged 23.2 points and 7.3 assists per game. At 41, he carried the Lakers past the Rockets and scored 20+ against the Thunder in three of the four games.

The story ended in a second-round sweep. But it reaffirmed to the NBA world that if he wants to, LeBron James can give much more to the game. There’s just nothing more left to prove. He’s a four-time champion, multiple-time MVP, and Finals MVP and sits on top of the scoring charts. LeBron James completed basketball well before retirement talks started to creep through the cramps in his body.

There’s just one thing that would keep James going. Winning is what the great enjoy doing the most. So, if there is another year, the Akron Hammer has underlined the intentions behind his return.

“Just being able to compete and trying to win championships. I think that’s a motivating factor. You know, it’s always been, you know, since probably the first time I touched the postseason in ‘ 06, I was like, how can I compete for a championship? Like when I touch touched the postseason, I was like, oh, this is this is something I want to be a part of for a long time,” James added.

A potential return to the Lakers or any other team depends on whether all of these factors can swing and land in the same basket. Physically, James has already claimed the battle over ‘Father Time’. Continuing to play with everything achieved? That’s an obsession that doesn’t go away with practical reasoning. If LeBron James wants to play, and his family isn’t against it, there will be another chapter to chase the elusive Larry O’Brien.

The same questions will erupt again. However, only LeBron James will know when the process of preparing to compete becomes monotonous. Till he reaches that stage, retirement seems to be stalking him, but not daring enough to push him over the edge.