LeBron James officially made his decision on Friday, taking his talents to Philadelphia to join the 76ers. 

Ahead of free agency, LeBron informed the Los Angeles Lakers that he would not be returning to the team for his ninth season, opting to move on after they were ousted in the second round by the Oklahoma City Thunder. 

The Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves, San Antonio Spurs, Golden State Warriors, New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers, Miami Heat, and Cleveland Cavaliers were the top eight teams on LeBron's shortlist, as confirmed by his agent Rich Paul during an appearance on his podcast Game Over. 

At the end of the day, LeBron decided he was going to team up with Jaylen Brown, Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and VJ Edgecombe in the City of Brotherly Love. 

As the weeks rolled on in LeBron's free agency, the Nuggets fell further behind in potentially acquiring "The King."

Appearing on The Pat McAfee Show on Thursday, ESPN insider Shams Charania noted that the Cavaliers, Heat, Warriors, Timberwolves, and 76ers were the top five teams on LeBron's list. 

The Nuggets getting LeBron seemed to be a long shot, but they did have the appeal of a championship roster and Nikola Jokic. Adding LeBron would've also given them some extra depth, as he would've likely pushed Cameron Johnson or Christian Braun to the bench. 

The combination of Jamal Murray, LeBron, and Jokic would've given the Nuggets an elite three-man lineup that would have spacing, creation, playmaking, and high IQ. 

First and foremost, they have to figure out what's going on with Peyton Watson. He remains a restricted free agent, and perhaps his not being under contract influenced LeBron's decision not to go to Denver, as Watson is a client of Rich Paul and Klutch Sports. 

Watson is reportedly seeking between $25 and $30 million, and signing him could mean trading Braun or Johnson. 

They have already added Marvin Bagley III as a backup center, and Alpha Diallo is a defensive standout off the bench. Retaining Watson would solidify their starting lineup, but trading Braun or Johnson would hurt their depth compared to last season. 

They could also use more shooting after losing Tim Hardaway Jr, who was a Sixth Man of the Year candidate, though their options are limited. They do have taxpayer exception space to use on candidates like Seth Curry. 

LeBron to Denver was likely always a long shot, but now Denver must turn its attention to their own house.