After completing an unprecedented 23rd NBA campaign, LeBron James insisted he has nothing to regret about the Los Angeles Lakers’ 2025-26 season, even after a second-round sweep by the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Speaking following the Game 4 loss in Oklahoma City, the 41-year-old forward stressed that the year should not be judged solely by its ending. “I left everything on the floor,” James said. “I hate losing, but I was locked in on what we needed to do. I’m not calling my season a disappointment, that’s for sure.”
Role change and playoff surge
James began the season on the sideline with sciatica but rarely sat once he returned. Mid-season, head coach Darvin Ham shifted James to a third-option role while Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves handled most of the playmaking. The veteran thrived in the unfamiliar assignment until late-season injuries to both teammates forced him back into his customary lead-creator duties.
With James back at the controls, Los Angeles upset the Houston Rockets in the first round before falling in four games to top-seeded Oklahoma City. The sweep marked the end of a year in which James became the first player to appear in 23 NBA seasons.
Free-agency decision ahead
James holds unrestricted free-agent status this summer and has not committed to a 24th season. General manager Rob Pelinka told reporters the organization will “honor the process” as James weighs his future.
Source: LakersNation.com
