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Amid Los Angeles Lakers All-Star LeBron James' potential retirement rumors after 2025-26, James reflected on the NBA's proverbial switch from the Big 3 era to what we see today. Instead of clammoring to create the next star-studded Big 3 of All-Stars to guide its team to a championship, NBA franchises prioritize depth over the top-heavy rosters of yesteryear. James can attest to this as being a part of one of the most successful superteams in the Miami Heat.
As one-third of the Heat's Big 3 alongside Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, James led Miami to two championships (2012, 2013) between 2010 and 2014 before teaming up with Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love to form a new Big 3. James led the Cavs to the franchise's first championship in 2016 and spoke to playing in such an era before the NBA's significant shift, per Mind The Game podcast.
“I played in the era as well of the Big 3 era, but it's looking like now the game is starting to shift again to how can we create the most depth,” James said. “But also, how can we create the most energy life? How can we have the most shelf life out on the floor to be able to sustain an injury or sustain a run throughout the course of a game, where guys can come in and it's infectious all game long.”
"I played in the era as well of the Big 3 era… but it's looking like now the game is starting to shift again to how can we create the most depth, but also how can we create the most energy life?"
– LeBron James
(via @mindthegamepod)pic.twitter.com/Wzk2w1RCWl
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) July 21, 2025
While you can argue the champion Oklahoma City Thunder's Big 3 of MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, and Chet Holmgren led their team to victory, the team wasn't complied in the same manner as the ones James played for. Before, teams would make moves that brought All-Stars together, whereas the Thunder built theirs organically through trading for Gilgeous-Alexander after his rookie season before drafting Williams and Holmgren.
You can say the same for the 2024 champion Boston Celtics, who drafted All-Stars Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum in back-to-back years before trading for key catalysts such as Kristaps Porzingis, Jrue Holiday, and Derrick White.
LeBron James' rumored retirement tour ahead of Lakers season
After the Big 3 era, is Lakers All-Star LeBron James entering his final season? While some believe that announcement could be coming soon, NBA insider Chris Fedor relieved his take on James' potential retirement via his Wine and Gold podcast.
“I believe, based on everything that I know about LeBron James and all the conversations that I've had with people in his orbit, his general orbit, I believe that LeBron is going to make it known that he is going to retire before he retires,” said Fedor.
If so, that announcement would most likely happen before the 2025-26 campaign.
