LeBron James thinks he could play another five to seven years if he tried

It might be LeBron James' birthday, but the ageless wonder gave Lakers fans a gift of their own.

The Los Angeles superstar told reporters on Monday that he intends to play out the rest of his career donning the purple and gold, however many more years that may be.

"I think that's the plan, I would love for it to end here," James said. "I came here to play the last stage of my career and to finish it off here."

He added that he understands basketball is a business, saying that he's "not silly or too jaded to know the business of the game as well," reconciling with the idea that a trade could come for anyone at any time.

However, he said he believes his relationship with the Lakers "speaks for itself" and that hopefully he doesn't have to go anywhere before his career is over.

James joined the legendary franchise ahead of the 2018-19 campaign and is in his seventh year in the City of Stars. In that time, between ages 34 and now 40, he's averaging an unheard-of-for-his-age 26.8 points, 7.9 rebounds and 8.1 assists.

He signed a two-year, $101 million contract this past summer, with a player option worth $52 million next season. He could test free agency in the summer if he chooses to decline the option.

James has amassed a large collection of individual accolades during his time with the Lakers, including taking the top spot in points scored and minutes played. But outside an NBA championship during the 2020 Orlando bubble, the Lakers haven't had much success in the James era, advancing past the first round only once in 2023.

LeBron is also encouraged by a solid season so far with the Lakers, who have looked livelier in their first year under new coach JJ Redick. Los Angeles got tougher and deeper Sunday when it traded D'Angelo Russell to Brooklyn for veteran wing defender Dorian Finney-Smith and guard Shake Milton.

“Right now, I think we’re a very good team,” James said. “I think we have a chance to compete with anybody in the league. Are we at a championship level? Can we win a championship right now? No, I don’t think so. That’s good, because we have so much room to improve, and we also just added two new guys as well. We’ll see how we incorporate those guys. It should be fun as well. But we’ll see. I don’t know if that determines if I stick around longer, because it doesn’t change my career in any sense or fashion.”

Following the team's playoff exits the last two seasons, James has hinted at a possible retirement, finishing his post-game exit interviews with cryptic remarks saying that he would think about his future in the off-season.

He has yet to follow through on those hints, but at 40 years old, it's obvious the end of his career is much closer than the start.

James already has one of the longest careers in NBA history, but he knows it's nearing an end. He has repeatedly said he won't overstay his welcome in basketball, yet that moment clearly hasn't arrived: James is still a dominant force for the Pacific Division-leading Lakers, averaging 23.5 points, 9.0 assists and 7.9 rebounds this season.

“It’s kind of laughable, really, to know where I am, to see where I am still, playing the game at a high level,” James said. “Still being such a young man, but old in the scheme of how many years I’ve got in this profession. (I) just think back to when I came into the league. That’s like the first thing I thought about. You came in as an 18-year-old kid, and now you’re sitting here as a 40-year-old, a 22-year vet, with a 20-year-old in the NBA as well. It’s pretty cool.”

James is already in his 22nd NBA campaign — more than any player except Vince Carter, who also played 22 seasons — and he will join the slightly larger list of NBA players to suit up after their 40th birthdays on Tuesday night when the Lakers host the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Akron, Ohio native won Cleveland's only major pro sports championship with the Cavs in 2016.

James said he reacted to his milestone birthday with a disbelief familiar to anybody whose life odometer has rolled over to a number they still haven't processed.

“I had a decade of the 30s, so to just wake up and just be like, ‘Oh shoot, oh damn, you’re 40?’” James said with a grin.

James said he already felt the march of time two months ago when he and his son, Bronny, became the first father and son to play in the NBA together.

He does intend to retire while at the top of his game though, leaving basketball before basketball leaves him. When that comes is anyone's guess, even LeBron's.

“To be honest, if I really wanted to, I could probably play this game at a high level for about another – weird that I might say this – but about another five or seven years, if I wanted to," James said. "But I’m not going to do that.”

James also added that once he retires, he intends to retire for good rather than pulling a Michael Jordan or Tom Brady and un-retiring for another shot at the top.

-- With files from the Associated Press