For days, we’ve been hearing that the Nuggets are legitimate players in the Jaylen Brown sweepstakes, and now, the same appears to be true for LeBron James. The Nuggets are involved with the two biggest commodities known to be on the market, as Bennett Durando of the Denver Post reported that the Nuggets have reached out to James to express interest in free agency.
While it was perceived as a long shot, it appears there may actually be legs to this situation, which has quickly taken off. On Tuesday, LeBron told the Lakers he was moving on, and now it’s being reported that he’s most focused on winning and will take any amount of money to play for the right team.
But could the Nuggets actually be the right team? The key to this whole thing is Nikola Jokic. For one thing, he’s a good enough player for James to want to play with, and a proven champion in his prime, chasing another ring. The basketball fit between the two geniuses would be sublime.
Add in Jamal Murray, and this fit could be immaculate. In a basketball sense, it’s a perfect home for James, giving him a real chance to win, two players who can drive offense ahead of him, and no potential knock on his legacy; a win for all parties.
Nuggets finally showing aggression after not-so-subtle pressure from Jokic
For the Nuggets, this is also likely happening thanks to the recently applied pressure from Nikola Jokic. All the talk was about the Nuggets dumping salary and hopefully re-signing Peyton Watson. But now, word has come out that Jokic may delay extension talks until next summer, when he can opt out and become a free agent, and Denver seems to be acting a lot more aggressively.
If James’ camp can be believed, he may actually sign a minimum deal, which would be a borderline miracle for Denver. The Heat, Cavaliers, and Warriors appear to be in the mix, surely along with other teams, but the Nuggets fit could make sense. And pressure from Jokic, James, and the rest of the free world could convince ownership to actually splurge and keep the band together, or make an all-in push for Brown.
Would they be talking to Boston about a trade for Jaylen Brown, a player with three years left on a supermax contract with another lofty extension looming? Would they be courting LeBron James in the midst of a cost-cutting effort? We don’t know the answers to those questions, and they haven’t exactly pulled off either move yet, but it sure feels like the team is acting with more urgency than we’ve seen in a long time.
It’s long overdue, and it’s what Jokic, the rest of the team, and this fanbase deserve. With any luck, they’ll be able to add talent to this roster, and maybe they’ve even seen the light and will be inclined to spend above the second apron. If LeBron is coming here for his swan song, that should more than make up for a lofty tax bill.
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