Could the Nuggets Be Among Potential LeBron James Suitors?

LeBron James is 41 years old, just finished his 23rd NBA season, and is an unrestricted free agent for the first time since 2018.

The Los Angeles Lakers went 53-29 before getting swept by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the second round, but James was still one of the better players on the floor even as the third option behind Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.

He put up 20.9 points, 7.2 assists and 6.1 rebounds across 60 games on 51.5 percent shooting.

Nobody is ready to write him off.

ESPN senior insider Shams Charania went on "The Pat McAfee Show" and said every contending team in the league has called James' camp since the season ended.

The Warriors, Cavaliers, Knicks and Clippers have all been linked to LeBron ahead of free agency, but every one of those teams has cap problems.

Denver is another name worth watching.

The Nuggets went 54-28 and grabbed the third seed in the West under first-year head coach David Adelman.

Their season ended earlier than expected with a first-round loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves in six games, which was a disappointment for a team that won the title just three years ago.

But Denver still had the best offense in the NBA with a 122.6 offensive rating.

Nikola Jokic is the reason why.

He averaged 27.7 points, 12.9 rebounds and 10.7 assists while leading the league in both boards and dimes.

Now picture James next to him.

The two of them together might be the best passing duo basketball has ever seen.

James already showed this season that he can take a back seat and let other guys run the show, and he was fine doing it.

Slot him in next to Jokic and Jamal Murray and suddenly Denver looks like a real title contender again, not just a regular season team that flames out in April.

Money is the issue.

Denver is sitting near the second apron before even re-signing restricted free agent Peyton Watson, so there is almost nothing left to offer James.

Some people around the league floated the idea of him taking a minimum salary to chase a ring, but insider Jake Fischer reported that is not happening.

James said on his podcast "Mind the Game" that he needs time before deciding anything, and the decision might not come until late June or July or even August.

He has no interest in joining a rebuilding team, which Denver is not.

But the Nuggets do not have the cap room to put together a real offer unless they get creative with a sign-and-trade.

The Lakers have reportedly been looking at Aaron Gordon, and a deal involving him could theoretically make the money work, but there are a lot of moving pieces that would need to fall into place.

Denver has the roster to make it interesting, but the math working out feels unlikely right now.