Don't be fooled by LeBron James' viral "Second Decision" tease

Entering his historic 23rd season, LeBron James continues to defy Father Time. Despite making All-NBA second-team, averaging 24.8 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 8.2 assists, many are wondering when the Los Angeles Lakers superstar will retire. He turns 41 in December, so the end must be near soon. Plus, LeBron is a free agent after this season.

On Monday afternoon, LeBron added more retirement speculation by teasing a clip for "The Second Decision," which will be announced on Tuesday, October 7, at 12 PM EST. Many believe this announcement will be LeBron declaring this will be his last season.

While it's easy to view this as a possible retirement announcement, many believe it's simply an ad for Amazon Prime. I happen to fall in this camp, and there's plenty of evidence to suggest this. Amazon Prime Day is on October 7, and LeBron previously released an ad for Amazon Prime Day, which hinted at retirement rumors over the summer.

With Amazon Prime broadcasting NBA games this year, perhaps LeBron could be announcing that he's becoming an official ambassador with Amazon. Kyle Lowry is joining Amazon's broadcasting team this season while remaining an active player; perhaps LeBron could do something similar.

A lesser notable connection is that tomorrow is National Taco Day, and LeBron famously has a love for tacos. While Amazon Prime is the clear connection, it wouldn't be shocking if LeBron ties this in to his announcement.

LeBron is unlikely to retire after this season

LeBron's greatness is undeniable, but it's also not a secret that he loves the spotlight. Teasing a possible retirement announcement for an ad would simply be on brand for James. I could very well be wrong, and retirement is certainly a possibility given his advanced age.

Nevertheless, I think it's too much of a coincidence that Amazon Prime Day is coming back on the same day as LeBron's announcement, especially given that he already did a similar ad with the company this summer. If it's a more basketball-related announcement, I think it's more likely to be contract-related as opposed to his retirement plans.

Despite turning 41, by the end of the year, LeBron is still playing at an elite level, and there are no signs that this will change. At this point, it's clear that LeBron won't end his career like Shaquille O'Neal did with the Boston Celtics or even like Michael Jordan did with the Washington Wizards, with all due respect to his airness.

Regardless, it's hard for me to imagine that he retires while still playing at a top-10 level. I still envision LeBron playing at an All-Star yet not All-NBA level when he retires. The point is, I think he has at least two more seasons to go.

The Bryce James factor

Last season, LeBron played alongside his son Bronny, something many people believed he wanted to accomplish before retiring. It's worth noting, though, that LeBron's youngest son, Bryce, is a freshman at Arizona and thus could enter the NBA Draft in 2026. Given that LeBron already orchestrated Bronny to LA, it feels likely that he'll do the same with Bryce.

Admittedly, playing alongside two of his sons (in LA or elsewhere) would be amazing and historic. At the same time, it's not likely something LeBron would pass up, especially since he's still playing at such an elite level. Overall, all signs point to Tuesday's "decision" being an ad for Amazon rather than an earth-shattering retirement announcement.