The Nuggets have spent much of this offseason staring down bad news. Nikola Jokic isn’t signing an extension right now, Peyton Watson could be in line for as much as $30 million annually as a restricted free agent, and Denver is still trying to clear money in what could become a salary-dump move that costs them a starter.
Then LeBron James dropped into the middle of the whole thing.
On Tuesday morning, Shams Charania of ESPN reported that James will keep playing into a record 24th NBA season and “has informed the Los Angeles Lakers that the franchise can move on without him because he will play elsewhere”.
That is a massive development with free agency about to begin, and it throws open the door for every team in the league to make a pitch to one of the sport’s all-time greats. Charania also reported that money will not be the deciding factor, which means James can choose based on location, winning, role, happiness, or whatever matters most to him.
For Denver, the opening is obvious even if the odds are long.
The Nuggets have no built-in connection to James and nothing beyond the minimum to offer. There’s no sign he would want to finish his career in Denver. Still, if the goal is to chase winning and legacy above everything else, the case for joining Jokic is hard to ignore.
James, even at 41, would still bring exactly the kind of stuff Denver could use: ball-handling, playmaking, passing, scoring, rim pressure, and at times defense. Paired with Jokic and Jamal Murray, he could slide into a role that would create the kind of offense that looks easy until you try to stop it.
And if he can still flip the switch in the playoffs the way he did this spring, the Nuggets could get a real boost. He helped the Lakers win a first-round series without Luka Doncic or Austin Reaves, which is proof enough that there’s still plenty left in the tank.
From James’ side, Denver offers a different kind of argument. If he chooses a team like the Knicks, Spurs, or Thunder, he risks getting treated like Kevin Durant did when he joined the Warriors. If he goes to the Warriors, Cavaliers, or Heat, it reads more like a reunion or a return than a true new challenge.
Denver is the middle ground. He’d be playing with another all-time great in Jokic, giving himself a legitimate shot at a fifth ring with his fourth team, and doing it in a place that wouldn’t damage how his career is viewed.
It’s a huge long shot. But it’s the kind of long shot the Nuggets should at least chase. Josh Kroenke needs to make the call and see whether Denver can pull off the kind of move that changes the entire offseason.
In Other News...
Nikola Jokic Just Put A Massive New Spotlight On Denver's Future
Nikola Jokics next contract decision is already casting a long shadow over Denver, even with the Nuggets still trying to map out their immediate future. NBA insider Mark Stein has reported that Jokic is unlikely to sign a max extension this summer, a development that keeps the situation fluid and makes every front office move around him feel a little more loaded than usual.
For the Nuggets, the real issue is not just what Jokic does next, but how the ripple effects shape the broader market around him. The Los Angeles Lakers are already being mentioned as a team that may need to preserve enough flexibility to chase him through a sign-and-trade next summer, which is the kind of backdrop that keeps Denver in the spotlight whether it wants the attention or not. [Read more 🡒]
Nuggets Suddenly Have A Real Threat To Lose Peyton Watson
Peyton Watson has become one of the more interesting pieces of Denvers offseason, and not just because the Nuggets view him as a restricted free agent worth keeping. The expectation around the league is that Denver will come prepared with a substantial offer for the young wing, a sign of how much the organization values his upside and two-way potential as it tries to keep its core intact.
Marc Stein reported that there is at least one outside angle to watch, with cap space potentially shifting if the Clippers make a major move of their own. Even so, Denver still holds the key advantage here in Watsons restricted status, which gives the Nuggets the ability to match an offer sheet and make themselves the clear favorite to keep him in the fold. [Read more 🡒]