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 would present many dubious realities. James would have to be comfortable picking his spots, playing off the ball more often and acting as a secondary playmaker instead of controlling every possession.

At this stage, that might be a reasonable role and would in a sense mimic his role with the Lakers last season. James averaged 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 7.2 assists last season. But on a Nuggets team with Jokic, Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon already in place, the appeal would be less about LeBron carrying the offense and more about giving Denver another high-level option in high leverage situations.

There is also history here. Nuggets president Josh Kroenke tried to recruit James in 2018 by sending him a throwback Denver jersey. James later called Kroenke a “very dear friend” and said the two had spent time together away from basketball.

ESPN’s Brian Windhorst has also called Denver a possible “outlier team” for James, especially if he is willing to take some kind of exception to play with Jokic.

Then there is, perhaps, the most important free agency factor of all: golf.

Paul joked that James would be fine as long as there is “indoor and outdoor golf.” Denver, somehow, checks that box.

Winter golf in Colorado is strange, weather-dependent and occasionally interrupted by snow, frost delays and frozen fairways that play like concrete. But between sunny winter days, year-round courses and indoor simulator spots around the city, LeBron’s golf requirement can technically survive the Rockies.

The Nuggets are still a long shot.

But they are not a joke.

If James wants a comfortable landing spot, title contenstion, and a chance to play beside Jokic, the Nuggets have a pitch worth listening to.

And apparently, they already have the communication lines open.