LeBron James and the LA Lakers were dumped out of the NBA playoffs by the on Wednesday night – and fans are adamant that it’s time for the basketball great to bow out from the sport.

The Minnesota Timberwolves sent the Lakers packing after claiming a 103-96 win in Game 5 of their first-round battle, which naded them a conclusive 4-1 lead in the series.

Despite putting up 22 points on the night, fans believe the time has come for LeBron to call it a career at the age of 40 after being outclassed by the likes of Rudy Gobert and Julius Randle.

‘LeBron James this is embarᴀssing you gotta retire,’ one user wrote on X.

Another put: ‘LeBron is an old man. he needs to retire. this is the first time I’ve ever watched him in a playoff game and thought he has just lost a step vs everyone else. 

‘Lebron needs to retire bro. [Michael] Jordan knew when to walk away,’ said a third.

LeBron James is facing calls to retire after the Lakers were dumped out of the NBA playoffs

While one simply pleaded: ‘Lebron pls retire already’.

LeBron, who turned 40 in December, has hinted that retirement could soon be on the cards on several occasions this season.

When asked if he thinks he’ll ever play at Madison Square Garden again after the Lakers’ win over the New York Knicks in February, he told ESPN: ‘Possibly. We’ll see.’ 

And last month the four-time NBA champion was grilled about his future again during an appearance on the Pat McAfee Show.

‘For me, it’s my mind — I am all about the process,’ LeBron admitted. ‘If it gets to the point where I don’t feel like showing up to the arena five hours in advance or I don’t feel like training or I don’t feel like studying the scout sheet of guys — if it gets to that point, I know like, “You know what, Bron, it’s a wrap.”‘