The Los Angeles Lakers just created a hole at the backup center position after trading Deandre Ayton to the Washington Wizards, another Shams Charania drop in the rapid-fire start to the NBA offseason. The trade sends the Lakers Jaden Hardy, plus two future second-round draft picks. But that hole at backup center needs someone to fill it, and Shams says sources told him the Denver Nuggets and Jonas Valanciunas are on the short list of targets. Perfect! The Nuggets should trade him for Bronny James to lure LeBron into signing with the Nuggets.
The Lakers will now focus on finding Walker Kessler's backup on the market -- with centers such as Andre Drummond, Jonas Valanciunas and Kevon Looney among those being considered, sources said.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 3, 2026
The Wizards took a patient approach to the start of free agency and now land a… https://t.co/3GEA9Wx7gY
The Nuggets need to either trade Jonas Valanciunas or waive him before July 8th so they can avoid the $8 million kicker on his contract that turns it into a $10 million guaranteed salary for next season. The Nuggets are likely looking to avoid as many of the tax penalties as possible in 2026-27.
So the thought was that the Nuggets would be waiving and stretching the $2 million he's owed over the next three years to avoid the bigger $8 million kicker. Plus, Big Val has his options in Europe lined up, perhaps diminishing his trade value even further.
But if the Lakers need Valanciunas, getting anything back for him rather than waiving him is a big win. But, if trading Big Val nets Bronny to bring King James to town, do it. Do it and don't think twice. As fast as you can.
One Valanciunas for two James is a dream scenario
Listen, the Nuggets aren't going to find much talent available at the league minimum, so anything they have to do to get LeBron at that price, they need to do. This solves two massive objectives by saving salary and filling countless needs on the roster. Plus, two Jameses are better than no James.
Bronny can continue to develop at the end of the bench, and at only $2.296 and $2.486 million over the next two years, he's a nice, affordable replacement for the Jalen Pickett spot, who the Nuggets just declined on a team option. And that nets the Nuggets $7,704,000 this year, and possibly LeBron! Two problems solved at once.
LeBron instantly makes the Nuggets the best passing team by a country mile in the NBA. He adds the tenacity the Nuggets could have used against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the playoffs after Jaden McDaniels called out every Nugget by name as being a "bad defender." Bron isn't the best defender, but there's no way he's letting those comments go unchecked like the Nuggets did.
Bron checks off the athleticism gap the Nuggets faced last year, and it would be an epic pairing to see Bron and Nikola Jokic together. If all it takes is trading Big Val to get two Jameses, Bronny and LeBron, the Nuggets need to dial the Lakers up asap.
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