Since LeBron James hasn’t confirmed it, the timeline for his retirement remains unclear. One analyst predicts that he has one more season in him, and he’ll try to include Giannis Antetokounmpo as a significant part of his retirement tour.
Analyst Predicts LeBron James Will Host a Farewell Tour Next Season
James said during a press conference before the All-Star game that he’s still uncertain about when he’ll retire. If he does decide later that season is his last, then the league would have been robbed of giving him a proper send-off.
According to Jason McIntyre’s prediction, though, the league will have a chance to properly prepare for a farewell tour. His prediction hinges on two things. First, all-time greats tend to get retirement tours. Second, James isn’t known for making career moves quietly, such as when he joined the Miami Heat.
In fact, McIntyre believes that he’ll document his last season à la Michael Jordan’s “Last Dance.” He said that James can sign a deal with a major streaming service to follow him around with a camera crew.
Because he’s already making money from that deal, it’ll open the door for him to take a massive pay cut. This, in turn, will allow the Los Angeles Lakers to build a superteam.
“Why would LeBron do all this? What if he takes a lot less money and the Lakers can now trade for Giannis,” McIntyre said. “If the Lakers can get Luka [Dončić], Giannis, and LeBron James, and there is a world where they keep Austin Reaves in this scenario. You’re telling me that isn’t the ultimate farewell tour?”
“If the Lakers can get Luka, Giannis, and LeBron James… you’re telling me that isn’t the ultimate farewell tour?”@jasonrmcintyre wonders if LeBron is preparing for his own “Last Dance” with a super team in LA pic.twitter.com/pa7A1394Vz
— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) February 19, 2026
James does become an unrestricted free agent. That means that if he does decide to stay in the league, he’ll get his choice of where to sign and how much to sign for.
Roping Antetokounmpo in to be a part of his retirement tour is another story altogether. He can’t just choose which team to go to this summer, as he can only move if he’s traded.
Any team that wants to trade for him will need to give the Milwaukee Bucks plenty of assets back. Even if James does take a pay cut, it doesn’t magically give the Lakers the pieces they need to pull off that trade.
The Bucks will gravitate toward the deal that best equips them for a post-Giannis future. Helping craft the perfect farewell tour for James, no matter how historic his career has been, is the least of their concerns.
