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Marvin Bagley addition could be sneaky chess move by Nuggets to chase LeBron James

The Nuggets' free agency addition of Marvin Bagley III may be a favor to Klutch Sports in an attempt to lure LeBron James to Denver to play with Nikola Jokic.
ByBen Handler|
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Apr 26, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) walks on the court before the start of the game against the Houston Rockets in game four of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
Apr 26, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) walks on the court before the start of the game against the Houston Rockets in game four of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Nuggets signed Marvin Bagley III in free agency late on Wednesday night in a pretty safe, innocuous move. At least, that’s how it appeared on the surface. But when you peel back the layers, you can make the connection that Bagley, the 27-year-old backup big man, is represented by none other than Klutch Sports, Rich Paul’s agency, which, of course, is synonymous with LeBron James.

James and Paul have been close friends and confidants for over 20 years, and Paul has grown Klutch into a mega agency that reps hundreds of professional sports clients, but none more noteworthy than James. We’ve seen the power of Klutch on display in the past, famously steering Anthony Davis to Los Angeles to team up with LeBron on the Lakers.

LeBron and Paul hold tons of sway around the league, and in this version of the NBA, deals get done by teams and agents doing favors for one another. Klutch, and therefore James, hold a lot of sway in the industry and can use that pull to strongarm teams into acquiring and paying players, as well as making others relent.

Nuggets may be targeting Klutch connection between LeBron and Bagley

And so, it’s not completely crazy to connect some dots and imagine that signing a relatively unheralded veteran role player in Bagley might be a little bit of the Nuggets trying to scratch the back of Paul, in hopes that LeBron James may ultimately end up choosing to play in Denver next season.

Now, at the same time, the Nuggets needed a backup center, and Bagley was arguably the best one available for what they could afford. I like the deal, even without any further context, and think Bagley, with his very solid defense, could be the best backup that Nikola Jokic has had in a long time. 

LeBron James could save Nuggets' offseason

The agency connection and the timing, after LeBron announced his free agency and the Nuggets were rumored to be interested, is probably nothing. But what if it’s not?

Sometimes, this is how wheels get greased, especially with veterans, and especially with a player with as much cache as LeBron. Surely, he’s not going to be swayed by Bagley signing a minimum deal in Denver. 

But if there’s already some degree of interest, and James and his camp are actually considering joining up with Jokic for a swan song, a show of good faith towards Klutch certainly can’t hurt. And if this is completely out of left field, at least it’s still a good bit of business for the Nuggets anyway.

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