The Los Angeles Lakers' 133-130 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder during LeBron James' record-breaking night is well and truly the epitome of their 2022-23 campaign. The story of James carrying his substandard Lakers squad with an incredible performance only for it to go to waste due to poor defense and inability to take care of the basketball has become an increasingly familiar one for Lakers fans.

Nevertheless, the Lakers' most recent loss, despite knocking them even further from a play-in spot, has not put a damper on James' belief that he could still bring a championship to any team he plays for.

Speaking with the TNT crew following the Lakers' defeat, LeBron James fueled speculation regarding his future after making it clear that when push comes to shove, he is still very capable of leading any team to the promised land.

“If my mind is still into it, if I’m still motivated to go out and try to compete for championships. Because I feel like that’s what I can still do for any group of guys, for any franchise, I can go out there and still help win multiple championships, or win a championship,” James said.

As Harrison Faigen of Silver Screen and Roll pointed out, LeBron James had said earlier this season that he does not intend to finish his career playing for a non-playoff team. As presently constructed, it's difficult to see the Lakers turning it around to a degree that would persuade James to stay.

While the Lakers have James locked into a contract until at least the end of the 2023-24 campaign, it's not a done deal that The King and the NBA's all-time leading scorer would decide to retire as a Laker, especially after his most recent comments. Moreover, the team that his firstborn son, Bronny James, will be playing for will also become a huge factor in determining the 38-year old star's next destination.

Nevertheless, even with LeBron James getting up there in age, it's clear that plenty of teams will still move heaven and earth just to secure his services. He may no longer be the floor-raiser he once was, but when healthy, James has proven that he could still hang with the best of them. It'll be interesting to see which direction James would take as his storied career nears its end.