Ex-NBA Player Believes LeBron James Will Retire After 2017-18 Season

There’s been a lot of talk about LeBron James leaving the Cleveland Cavaliers after next season, perhaps to join the Los Angeles Lakers. But what if James walks away from basketball altogether?

John Salley, who won four NBA titles while playing in parts of 11 seasons in The Association, filled in Monday on ESPN’s “First Take,” during which he made a stunning prediction regarding James’ future.

“I think he’s going to retire after next year,” said Salley, who pointed out that James has nothing left to prove. “If I was him, I would retire on top.”

James, a 13-time All-Star, is a three-time NBA champion who’s been to eight NBA Finals, including the last seven. He’ll go down as one of the greatest players in league history regardless of what happens from here on out. Perhaps that’ll be enough to convince him to close the book on his career, even though it sounds rather crazy at the moment considering he’s still arguably the best player on the planet.

Or perhaps Salley, who’s held various broadcast jobs since retiring in 2000, is just out of his mind.

Thumbnail photo via Cary Edmondson/USA TODAY Sports Images