LeBron refuses to discuss his future with the Lakers after Game 5 heart-breaker

For what feels like the millionth time, the Los Angeles Lakers blew a second-half lead against the reigning NBA champion Denver Nuggets in Game 5 of their first-round playoff series, ending their season.

Nuggets guard Jamal Murray drilled an off-balance, one-legged, sidestep floater to put the Lakers out of their misery and seal a 108-106 victory to move onto the Western Conference Semifinals to face the No. 3 seeded Minnesota Timberwolves.

But attention quickly shifted to Lakers 39-year-old superstar LeBron James after the incredibly competitive and spirited contest, with his future under full scope. One reporter was brave enough to ask the 20-time All-Star whether he had played his last game donning purple and gold uniform during his postgame press conference after the gut-wrenching defeat on Monday, and he made it clear he is not ready to discuss that matter yet.

LeBron refuses to discuss future with the Lakers after heart-breaking Game 5 loss

"I'm not going to answer that," James said as he smirked after he took a brief pause to reflect on the question before responding.

Entering his age-40 campaign with a $51.4 million player option for 2024-25, James could opt out of his current deal and enter free agency. ESPN's Brian Windhorst believes he will do so because he is potentially seeking a no-trade clause in his next contract, and his son Bronny James is entering the draft. But ultimately, he is expected to stay put on a freshly inked multi-year pact with Los Angeles.

Whether Monday actually ends up being King James' last game with the Lakers remains to be seen. But signs point toward him returning to Los Angeles next season. Regardless of how the offseason unfolds, he left it all on the floor in Game 5, scoring 30 points (11-of-21 shooting), 11 assists, nine rebounds, and four steals.

Since winning the championship in 2020, James and the Lakers have only made it out of the first round of the postseason once, highlighting how the partnership has underachieved in their time together. But as many of us know, he didn't only choose the City of Angels for basketball reasons. He did it partly as a business move to advance his career in the media, film, and entertainment industry, no matter how hard he tries to deny it.

This will not be the last we hear of the James-Lakers offseason chronicles now that they are officially eliminated from the playoffs, so stay tuned.