There has been a lot of talk about LeBron James and his future in the NBA, as the 41-year-old inches towards free agency this year.

And while teams like the Warriors and the Cavaliers have been predominantly thrown into the mix, NBA champion Kendrick Perkins feels the Lakers star must head to the Empire State next and spend his final days as a hooper with the Knicks.

Speaking on NBA Today, Perkins said, "It's time for them to part ways. And yes, I understand a lot of whispers that he could be going back to Cleveland, but I've been wanting to get this off my chest. If I'm Bron, I would really, really consider going to play my last year with the New York Knicks."

Kendrick Perkins continued, "When you talk about the economic side of things, how much money that's going to bring to the table? But Bron finishing out his career in the Mecca, in Madison Square Garden, and on top of that, the Knicks still have a roster where you add a LeBron James, yeah, you might have to give up some pieces. We're still having a legit shot at making the championship run."

There is also a strong chance that the four-time NBA champion might finish his career in Los Angeles. However, according to Perkins, it was a dried-out market for the King. 

“LeBron coming back to the Lakers does absolutely nothing for him,” Perkins added. “I mean, if you want to go out, you want to go out with a bang.”

Furthermore, other NBA personalities like Stephen A. Smith have also suggested that LeBron James should be in New York.

And while suggestions have been flowing in from every possible side of the NBA world, neither James nor any member of his camp has provided an inkling of a hint as to where the King will be heading next, or even whether he plans on continuing his journey as an athlete in the NBA.

LeBron James and Co. Keep Their Cards Close Amidst Speculation

By now, it is quite obvious that there has been a lot of murmuring about James' future in the NBA, especially given his age and the upcoming free agency, but the speculation has reached such an extent that his agent and longtime friend, Rich Paul, had to step in to address it.

“First of all, I don’t know what’s happening,” Rich Paul said during his appearance on the Game Over podcast. “He doesn’t know either! We don’t even talk about it… Just enjoy the moment. The man is playing minutes with his son. Meaningful minutes.”

“I don’t know. Nobody knows! I don’t care what article is written. I don’t care what tweet is out there. Nobody knows anything,” Paul added.

LeBron James, for his part, tied his retirement timeline directly to his mental engagement with the game during a recent episode of Bob Does Sports.

“If the mind is still in it, then I think everything will take care of itself,” LeBron James said. “For me, I love the process. If I can continue to be process-oriented, then I can do it forever. When it gets to that point, I feel like I don’t want to go early or don’t want to work out or train, then I’ll be cheating the game, and I don’t want to do that.”

When asked whether having Bronny on the Lakers has given him an extra gear, James said, “Yeah, absolutely. I have even more of a purpose to show up to work, to work out and train, because I know he’s looking like, ‘OK, that’s how you be a professional right there.’ So I have a responsibility with him around.”

That being said, where do you think LeBron James will land as he nears his free agency? Let us know!

Read more at Air Jordan Chronicles!

Written by

Nandjee Ranjan

Edited by

Arvind Rao