Nuggets enter LeBron James sweepstakes with one big selling point
The Denver Nuggets have entered the LeBron James sweepstakes, and while they may not be the obvious favorite, they might be one of the most fascinating fits on the board.According to The Denver Post, the Nuggets have reached out to James to express interest in bringing the 21-time All-NBA forward to Denver as he moves on from the Los Angeles Lakers.James is leaving Los Angeles after eight seasons, one championship, the NBA scoring record and another strong individual year at age 41.Now, the question is where he wants to finish.Golden State, Cleveland, Miami and Minnesota have all been linked to James.
Rich Paul has made it clear this will not be a normal free agency decision, either.On a recent appearance, Paul said he has spoken with “about 12-14 teams,” which means nearly half the league has at least checked in on the idea of adding LeBron.Paul also explained that James is not simply chasing the biggest contract.“I think it’s more so having the ability to compete for the possibility to compete for winning a championship,” Paul said.
“I think you can say being competitive.I think you can say having guys who understand how to play at a high level.”That is where Denver becomes interesting.The Nuggets cannot offer James the kind of money some other teams might without major roster gymnastics.
Luckily, Paul also said maximizing money won’t be the deciding factor.If James is truly open to taking less for the right basketball situation, Denver has a real pitch: Nikola Jokic.The basketball case is pretty easy to understand.James and Jokic would give Denver two elite passers who know how to make the game easier for everyone around them.
Jokic would still be the center of the offense, but James could take pressure off him as another creator, especially in late-clock situations, transition chances and playoff matchups where Denver needs a different look.The fit would not be seamless automatically.Denver’s offense runs through Jokic, and changing that w...