The Denver Nuggets are actually in the race for LeBron James, sources say. A sentence that only days ago seemed like word soup is actually a reality, and honestly, the Nuggets might have a better shot at landing the four-time MVP to pair with their three-time MVP, the ace in the hole to landing LeBron, Nikola Jokic, than some may think.
Bennett Durando of The Denver Post put out the news that a "league source outside of the Nuggets" has told him that the Nuggets "reached out to express interest" in LeBron. Fantastic. Get the ball moving. It's not as much of a long shot as some may think. Durando reports that in 2018, team president Josh Kroenke was described as a "very dear friend" by James amid the Nuggets' chase of LeBron in 2018 before he eventually signed with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Nikola Jokic should recruit LeBron to play alongside him
So not only do the Nuggets have an in via the team president, having a friend as the boss, but LeBron is looking to make his decision from a purely basketball point of view. LeBron doesn't need and doesn't want the big contract. He wants one more shot at a ring before he goes out. Playing next to Jokic could certainly boost his chances.
Jokic just makes everyone around him better on offense. Tim Hardaway Jr. didn't just have a career resurgence out of nowhere last season to earn the raise he got by signing with Miami to leave Denver after one season. He's a product of the elevated gameplay and open shots Jokic creates.
Imagine what he can do for LeBron, who is equally as gifted in basketball IQ. The open shots Joker would find. The lobs to the eventual 42-year-old future Hall of Famer would be quite fun to watch. Jokic and LeBron could work the two-man game, and it's possible Jamal Murray would be a huge benefactor seeing more open three-point chances from the constant attention to Joker and Bron.
It's wild to think LeBron could be a Nugget
At the end of the day, it's wild that the Nuggets have a real, actual shot to land LeBron. They certainly would have had a better shot against the Minnesota Timberwolves, even with LeBron's lacking defense at his age. He would have been a far better option than Hardaway or Bruce Brown were, and he would be paid the same.
The Nuggets would probably never have the chance to find such a bargain free agent ever again. Here's to hoping that playing with Jokic is what helps push LeBron to the Nuggets.
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