LeBron’s Final Chapter: Rival Declares GOAT’s Time Is Up

The Los Angeles Lakers have had quite the summer when it comes to their superstars. The roster features a blend of seasoned veterans and rising young talent, which is creating tension—particularly with LeBron James, who remains focused on winning now. Fortunately for James, he isn’t the only one with that mindset—Luka Dončić shares the same urgency.

“Dončić being just 26 gives the Lakers a far longer timeline to build a championship-contending team, but that doesn’t mean they can slow down and take their time. Dončić told Lakers president Rob Pelinka and coach JJ Redick in May that he’s not interested in taking the slow approach in building a contender,” CBS Sports’ Jasmyn Wimbish wrote.

At this stage in his career, James is singularly focused on competing for titles.

“LeBron wants to compete for a championship,” Rich Paul told ESPN. “He knows the Lakers are building for the future. He understands that, but he values a realistic chance of winning it all. We are very appreciative of the partnership that we’ve had for eight years with Jeanie [Buss] and Rob [Pelinka] and consider the Lakers as a critical part of his career.”

The only real question left in James’ career is how much time he has left in the league—a league he’s helped carry for over two decades. Former rival Paul Pierce believes the end is near.

“He’s been the GOAT for so long. He’s maintained the stats. We appreciate what he brought to the game and how he’s held the mantle since (Michael) Jordan left. Bron is one of them ones. We appreciate him, but I think his time is up. We appreciate what he’s done for the league,” Pierce said.

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The idea of James calling it a career still feels surreal. In fact, much of this season does. James continues to defy expectations and appears nearly superhuman, but at some point, Father Time catches up to everyone. Pierce just believes that moment is coming sooner than most fans would like. And perhaps most surprisingly—Pierce, a long-time rival of James, openly called him the GOAT. That unexpected praise adds another twist to their storied history.