If we’re going to make it a big deal when the Nuggets get mentioned in the rumor mill, we have to keep the same energy when they’re not. And their exclusion is the big story on Wednesday night, as Shams Charania went on NBA Today to offer up the latest in LeBron James rumors, and made no mention of Denver on the list of suitors.
“[James and Rich Paul are] continuing to sift through the leading contenders, the different options, the different teams that have been pitching Rich Paul over the last week… that includes Golden State, Cleveland, Miami, Philadelphia, Minnesota.”
.@ShamsCharania says LeBron's top three teams appear to be the Cavs, Heat and Sixers 👀 pic.twitter.com/D0WUDY3N1h
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) July 8, 2026
There are two different ways to interpret Charania’s comments here. One outlook is that he was simply speaking anecdotally, naming a few teams off the top of his head, but not offering a comprehensive list of every single team that is still in play for LeBron’s services.
The other outlook is much darker, and that one assumes that Charania was reporting on the free agency market for James, and the Nuggets are no longer in play to lure the future Hall of Famer to play with Nikola Jokic in Denver.
That would be somewhat disappointing after it seemed like there was some real traction behind this pipe dream. Between Rich Paul putting the Nuggets on the inner circle of his now-infamous whiteboard and the friendship between James and Josh Kroenke, there was real hope.
Nuggets can't put all their eggs in LeBron basket
This also lined up with some reporting that the Nuggets may be willing to keep the team together and go into the second apron as they negotiate with another notable Klutch client, Peyton Watson. But maybe that was all a ruse, a tool used by Paul to create some leverage for his clients around the league and drum up a nonstop news cycle revolving around LeBron.
That’s certainly not the craziest idea, and it’s why deep down, I think James has already made up his mind and will likely end his career where it started, in Cleveland. Maybe I’m just being cynical, but that’s what my gut is telling me.
The most beautiful basketball fit would be in Denver, ending his career as the third cog in a Jokic-Jamal Murray-LeBron offense, but this always seemed like a long shot for a reason. Hopefully, I’m reading this the wrong way, and the Nuggets are still in consideration. If so, they should certainly keep pushing.
But they need to be careful as well to make sure they’re not being used in the situation. They can keep one eye on James, but they need to be mindful of their own goals for this summer, and they can’t get distracted from the other work that needs to get done.
Add us as a preferred source on Google