The Nuggets haven’t done much this offseason, and it seems like almost all of the talk and rumors around the team are negative. Nikola Jokic won’t sign an extension this offseason and, intentionally or not, is applying serious pressure to the organization. Peyton Watson is a restricted free agent who may command up to $30 million annually. And the team is desperately looking to shed money in a likely salary dump move that could cost them a starter.
It’s all been fairly grim, but with one long-shot move, they could change all of that. On Tuesday morning, Shams Charania of ESPN reported that LeBron James will continue his NBA career for a record 24th season and “has informed the Los Angeles Lakers that the franchise can move on without him because he will play elsewhere”.
This is an absolute bombshell just hours before free agency kicks off, and it opens up the possibility of one of the greatest players in NBA history signing with any team in the league. Charania reported that money won’t be a factor, which means he can pick what he wants, be it location, winning, the right role, happiness, or something else.
But every team in the league can now pitch to the 41-year-old, who clearly has a lot left in the tank. He’s obviously not the player he once was, but he’s still very good and can ramp it up when needed, as he did in the playoffs, helping the Lakers win a first-round playoff series without Luka Doncic or Austin Reaves.
That’s where things get extremely interesting for the Nuggets. They have nothing to offer beyond the minimum and no connection to James. There’s no indication he would have any interest in going to Denver to end his career.
And yet, the Nuggets can, and should, make a compelling pitch to James. If he truly values nothing above winning and boosting his legacy, the idea of joining Nikola Jokic should be extremely intriguing.
If LeBron wants winning and legacy, the Nuggets are a great choice
Even at his age, James would give the Nuggets the right dose of ball-handling, playmaking, passing, scoring, rim-pressure, and (sometimes) defense. His fit with Jokic would be immaculate, and he could come in and play off of the Joker and Jamal Murray in a way that could lead to some beautiful basketball.
The move would be very helpful for the Nuggets and could possibly vault them right back into contention, especially if he can crank it up for the playoffs again. And for his legacy, this would be a great choice as well. If he goes to a team like the Knicks, Spurs, or Thunder, he’ll get clowned for chasing a ring like Kevin Durant joining the Warriors.
If he goes to the Warriors, Cavaliers, or Heat, he’ll just be joining up with buddies or going back to an old flame, not giving himself a realistic chance to win. But if he goes to Denver? He can have the best of both worlds: playing alongside another all-time great in Jokic, giving himself a real chance at a 5th ring with four teams, and joining a franchise that wouldn’t harm his legacy in any way.
Again, this is a crazy long shot, but it’s one worth pursuing. Josh Kroenke needs to make the call and see if he can hit a home run and save the Nuggets’ offseason.
Add us as a preferred source on Google