Last season’s playoff exit against the Minnesota Timberwolves left the Los Angeles Lakers frustrated and determined. Players and coaches openly spoke about not repeating the same mistakes.
This postseason also felt different because of the constant talk surrounding LeBron James’ future, as many fans believed this could be his final playoff campaign. But after another difficult postseason ending, 10-time All-Star Paul Pierce shared a strong opinion on why he believes James should finally walk away from the NBA.
Paul Pierce’s Recent Comment Regarding LeBron James
In a recent episode of the “KG Certified” podcast, co-host Pierce stated that James should retire from the NBA. Pierce’s reason was not about ability. It was about respect. He believed that at 41 years old, James does not deserve to keep getting criticized the way he is.
“Yeah, I think he should, man. Just like for the simple fact that at the age that he still receives the criticism that he still does. The greats weren’t getting this criticism late,” Pierce said during the podcast.
Pierce even brought up the late legend Kobe Bryant to make his point.
“Nobody was criticizing Kobe when he wasn’t going to the playoffs in his last year. They was just enjoying his moments. Like, the same with Jordan in Washington,” Pierce added.
Bryant last reached the playoffs with the Lakers in 2012, where he had a great 42-point performance in Game 5 of the Western Conference Semifinals against the Oklahoma City Thunder. That was his final postseason moment.
After that, he never played in another playoff game. The Lakers made the playoffs in 2013 as the seventh seed but were swept by the Spurs while Kobe was injured. After that, they missed the postseason entirely for three straight seasons.
Now look at what LBJ did this postseason at 41 years old, with a key player like Luka Dončić sidelined due to injury. In the first round against the Houston Rockets, he averaged 23.2 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 8.3 assists per game over six games, helping the Lakers win the series 4-2.
Then, in the Western Conference Semifinals against the Thunder, he averaged 23.3 points, 6 rebounds, and 5.8 assists per game across four games. The Lakers were swept 0-4, but the King held his end up. He carried that team as much as anyone realistically could.
It now remains unclear whether James will return for another NBA season. Speculation about retirement is only growing stronger after this playoff exit. Still, one thing many in the basketball world agree on is that James should not be criticized the way he is now.
