Barkley urges James to retire gracefully as soon as possible: Take a farewell tour

According to American sports f/w columnist Vishwesha Kumar, Charles Barkley has never been one to hide his opinions, and this week he conveyed a heartfelt message to LeBron James, albeit a blunt one: Maybe it's time to start thinking about leaving. Speaking on "The Jim Rome Show," the Hall of Famer said he hopes LeBron retires "sooner than later," adding that he would rather see the Los Angeles Lakers star leave on his own terms than disappear under the weight of Father Time.

"You know, Father Time is always going to win, and there's nothing you can do about it. You know, I joked about sciatica a few weeks ago on the show. They could have written the old one, it's the exact same thing. All the old guys hurt their backs. You know, he's got to take it. I hope he leaves early because I hate seeing great players struggle out there. I really struggled my last year, probably my last two years. That's good for It's very frustrating and humiliating for me. Obviously, LeBron is a better player than me, but I don't want to see great players just hang on. I'd love to see him go on a farewell tour and walk away because he's one of the three greatest players I've ever seen. But Father Time always wins. LeBron, 20, has yet to make his season debut and is dealing with sciatica that has kept him sidelined since training camp. While the Lakers are off to a strong start led by Luka Doncic and Austin Reeves, questions about LeBron's long-term future are growing. The timing of Barkley's comments was not random. LeBron has talked about wanting to play alongside his sons, but with his body showing wear and tear after 22 NBA seasons, the window may be closing soon. Barkley, who has experienced the same decline, appears to be speaking from experience rather than criticism.

Barkley was not wrong about the physical toll. While LeBron's 24.4 points, 8.2 assists and 7.8 rebounds per game last season were still elite, his body has logged nearly 70,000 career minutes, including the playoffs, the most in NBA history. Even for a player as disciplined as LeBron, that kind of mileage can take a toll.

Currently, James is still focused on staying healthy and helping the Lakers chase another championship. But Barkley's message is clear: Get out while you're still LeBron James, not the other way around. Although this topic has been talked about for a long time, a decent retirement tour for such a great player will be recognized and praised by everyone. But if he continues to help the Lakers chase the championship, his historical status may be improved. But at his age, it is almost time to take a back seat. Pass the torch to others and continue to be great!