“I'm tired of you” - Mark Cuban hilariously calls on LeBron James to retire

Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James is still going strong despite turning in December. He is so productive that he could play for five more years and continue to be one of the league's best players.

It's unclear when he intends on hanging up his shoes. Maybe James himself doesn't know it yet. However, if you ask Mark Cuban , he wants to see the four-time MVP retire — the sooner, the better.

" Yes, LeBron, it's time for you to quit," Cuban jokingly said when TMZ Sports asked about James' retirement plans. "I'm tired of you. ... He's still so good. He's on the Lakers, our rival. So, it's time to retire."

Cuban in awe of Bron's greatness

Of course, the Dallas Mavericks minority owner wasn't serious, as he was smiling throughout the brief interview with TMZ Sports. Given that he was the Mavs' longtime majority owner and lead decision-maker, he understands how important marketing is for any organization. And James remains one of the most marketable figures in the NBA today.

Aside from that, Cuban also knows that with the level LeBron is playing today, he has barely any reason to quit playing. The Mavs saw firsthand how the 2003 No. 1 pick can still be a matchup nightmare after he averaged 28.0 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 8.0 assists per game against them last season.

However, Cuban and his crew probably don't have to worry that much if they meet the Lakers in a high-stakes contest in the near future because Dallas is more than capable of staving them off. The squads' regular season in the 2023-24 campaign ended 2-1 in favor of the Mavs, who have improved their roster this offseason.

Cuban's different agenda?

It is also possible that the billionaire has a different reason if he indeed wants James to stop playing.

In a recent appearance on Shaquille O'Neal's podcast, Cuban admitted to being open to co-owning an NBA franchise with O'Neal and James as long as his current partners give him the green light. As many know, LeBron has been vocal about his desire to one day own a team. And the sooner he quits as a player, the faster he will get the chance to achieve that dream.

Cuban is still part of the Mavs' ownership group and serves as the organization's head of basketball operations. He gave up his majority stake partly because he didn't want to pressure his children, the oldest of whom is 21, into inheriting the team.

But if Cuban takes control of a different franchise alongside the likes of O'Neal and James, he likely wouldn't have to deal with that conundrum.

Related: "I hate this sh*t. This sh*t's garbage" - LeBron on his disdain for getting load managed