A weary, honest admission that one of the greatest careers in National Basketball Association history could be over?

Or a calculated move designed to spur the Los Angeles Lakers into bolstering their roster?

One day after LeBron James sent shockwaves rippling through basketball by revealing he was considering retirement, analysts are divided over whether the "King" is truly ready to give up his throne.

The 38-year-old delivered a vintage 40-point performance in a losing effort for the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday as Denver completed a 4-0 series sweep of the 17-time champions to reach the NBA Finals.

The defeat drew an unusually cryptic response from James in his postgame press conference as he reflected on a roller-coaster season that saw the Lakers emerge as title contenders despite a dismal 2-10 start.

"I don't like to say it's a successful year because I don't play for anything besides winning championships at this point in my career," James said.

"We'll see what happens going forward. I don't know. I've got a lot to think about to be honest."

In remarks to an ESPN reporter after the press conference, James made it clear that retirement was under serious consideration.

Asked what he planned to "think about" in the offseason, James replied: "If I want to continue to play."

That startling admission marked a sharp departure from James' previous public statements about how he sees the remainder of his playing career.

He inked a lucrative two-year contract extension with the Lakers last August that takes him through to the end of the 2024-2025 NBA season.

'I don't like to say it's a successful year because I don't play for anything besides winning championships at this point in my career.'

That would potentially provide him with the opportunity to play in the NBA with his eldest son Bronny James, something James has repeatedly said is his dream.