LeBron James believes in the ring with Doncic and the Lakers: "I am still excited about the process"

LeBron James appeared at the Los Angeles Lakers media day in the golden number 23 jersey, marking a double milestone in his career. At 40, he will become the first player in NBA history to compete in 23 seasons, surpassing Vince Carter's record, and he will do so in the final year of his contract with the LA franchise.

The veteran assured that his contractual situation will not influence his performance. "It will not have any impact. I am very excited about the challenges and the excitement of our team. We have incorporated new players, we have another year of experience with the coaching staff, and a full season with Luka Doncic, in addition to the teammates I've been with for a while. So I am very excited about that. And at this point in my career, I am not worried about contracts. It doesn't affect me at all. I feel humble to still have a contract, to be able to keep playing the sport I love and make the most of it."

James exercised his player option of 52.6 million dollars in June. At that time, his agent and CEO of Klutch Sports, Rich Paul, stated that his client "wants to compete for a championship" and that "he knows the Lakers are building for the future." Paul added: "We understand the difficulty of winning now while preparing for the future. We want to evaluate what is best for LeBron at this stage of his life and career."

Last season, the Lakers finished third in the West and were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs against the Minnesota Timberwolves in five games. Doncic was clear on what he considers a success: "Winning a championship. That is the goal." James responded with a more detailed approach: "We have to be meticulous every day. The Western Conference is a battlefield. The league is tough and we must be alert to everything, both in offense and defense. We have to hold each other accountable and play championship basketball every day. Does that always translate to wins? No. This is a league of wins and losses. Sometimes you play well and don't win, and other times you don't play well and still win. It's all part of the game. But we have to focus on the details, and I believe we will."

The forward injured his left knee in the loss to Minnesota, and now his goal is to return to optimal physical condition. "That is always the challenge: how can I get my body as close as possible to 100%? Obviously, I'm coming off the medial collateral ligament sprain last year, and the foot has given me problems occasionally in the past few seasons. It is always a challenge to prepare my body to perform at a high level. I am still in the process of returning. I am not where I want to be, but I also don't want to be there in September. I have time and I am looking forward to completing that process."

As the camp begins, he recognized that he might have a limited role. "It remains to be seen. I want to be on the court as much as possible, but we all know where I am at this point, and the coaching staff knows it too. It is my 23rd season. I have many miles on my career. I trained during the summer, but my presence is also important. Even when I am not on the court, I must be in tune with what we are doing to know at all times what is happening. I am looking forward to that as well."

About playing with his son Bryce

Regarding his retirement, James ruled out that his decision depends on his son Bryce's college career. "I am not waiting for Bryce. He has his own schedule, and I have mine, and I don't know if they match." And he added that he will monitor his motivation and his body before deciding on the end of his career. "For me, the important thing is if I am still excited about the process. Am I motivated year after year? Prepare my body, my mind, train... When I lose the love for the process, then I will know it's the end for me."