The reverse has happened! James was missing an event, which made Lakers reporters collectively think that they were going to say goodbye to the NBA?

In the early morning of May 6, the air in the Los Angeles Crypto Gymnasium was almost frozen. James posted a message on social media saying that he could not attend the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art charity ball due to a knee injury. It was normal, but the entire Lakers media circle was in a mess.

Several authoritative media directly regarded this news as a retirement statement. On the spot, a reporter was so scared that he almost passed away. A self-media named Yo, who was called Lakers Show, posted an article later on, saying that when he saw the words "unable to attend important events", his heart really jumped.

The obsession happened to start with the unconventional operations of the James team. In the past three years, James has held an exclusive press conference every time he makes a major decision. Things like renewing the Lakers in 2023 and impacting the historical scoring champion in 2024 are officially announced, but this time, he directly issued an injury statement on social media, and didn't even say the time of his comeback.

The media person who got used to the wolf coming, really thought the wolf was coming this time. I heard that there was a sudden problem with the equipment in the backend of the press conference. A reporter mistakenly regarded the medical team's discussion as a declaration of retirement, which caused such a big stir. The fan circle also followed the earthquake. As soon as the news came out, the social platform exploded instantly. Some fans launched the topic of protecting the No. 23 jersey in the forum, calling on the Lakers to retire James' jerseys quickly. The data party found out that James averaged 25.4 points, 9 rebounds, 5.6 assists per game this season, saying that retirement at the peak was impossible.

Some people also linked the matter to the turmoil in the Lakers' management. They speculated that the injury was a smoke bomb, but they were actually paving the way for trading. What's more, someone made an emoticon package on the timeline of James' retirement, and joked that May 6, 2025 is the day when Lakers reporters collectively suffered from heart disease. There are actually deeper reasons behind this misunderstanding.

James' retired economics

Although ESPN reporter Shams said that James will fight for at least another year, every word from the 40-year-old veteran touches the billion-dollar industrial chain. Forbes data shows that the Lakers' market value reached US$7.1 billion in 2025, an increase of 7% from last season, but if James retires this summer, Nike may lose US$230 million in endorsement fees each year. This miserable incident is ultimately a fight between commercial interests and competitive state.

The trust crisis of Lakers' management

After the Lakers were swept by the Timberwolves, James publicly complained that the team's lineup was not good, and the management was exposed to refuse to cut salary and renew the contract. There are internal news that the James team is in secret contact with many teams. If the Lakers do not strengthen the inside, the No. 23 jersey may really be hung up. Recently, there is news that the Lakers are discussing a deal with the Celtics and want to exchange James for Jaylen Brown and the first round pick.

butterfly effect of the league ecology

If James retires, the NBA will lose the largest traffic IP. The league management is urgently evaluating the All-Star voting rules, for fear that the end of the 20-year starting record will cause the ratings to plummet. What's more, the business blueprint of father and son on the same stage may be ruined in advance. Bryce's 2026 draft qualification is tied to James' career, which is the key to his stay or not.

How will it develop in the future

With the deadline for James' $51.42 million player option (June 29), the Lakers management is not idle either and is negotiating with the Magic, wanting to exchange Reeves for Isaac and Carter to enhance their defense.

Restart the return plan of the Thick Brows, intending to create a Big Three combination of James + Doncic + Davis, and is still secretly renovating the stadium, maybe preparing for a possible retirement tour.

When do you think James will retire? Is it to impact the historical scoring champion for another two years, or to accompany his son to transform in advance? Welcome to share your views in the comment section.