Why Denver Nuggets Could Land LeBron James

NBA superstar LeBron James is taking his sweet time to decide his next home in the league.

After spending his last eight seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers, James decided that he will be moving on and playing for a new team next year.

But we don't yet know which team that will be, despite speculation linking him to several title contenders.

One team that isn't being talked about enough is the Denver Nuggets. I think there is a realistic chance that James ends up in Denver, playing next to three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic. Here's why.

LeBron James & Nikola Jokic Would Be Upstoppable Combo

Ever since Jokic entered the NBA 11 years ago, fans have salivated at the prospect of him playing with another elite player.

It's hard to imagine that the only Nuggets All-Star that Jokic has ever played with was in 2026, when point guard Jamal Murray made his first NBA All-Star team. That's it. That's the only other Nuggets player to have made an All-Star game during Jokic's time in the NBA.

So, imagine if he teamed up with James, a perennial All-Star and arguably the greatest player to ever play the game of basketball?

There's a real argument that both James and Jokic are top-10 players of all time. We don't often get to see two of the sport's all-time greats play together, but that could be the case here if James signs with the Nuggets.

The Nuggets already proved they can win an NBA Championship with Jokic leading the way, doing so in 2023 when the Serbian led the team to its first and only NBA title.

Related: LeBron James Leaving Lakers? Not As Impossible As It Sounds

They haven't gotten back to the finals since, in the stacked NBA Western Conference, but perhaps if James joined up with Jokic, then they could get back to the dance.

Again, this could be a potentially unstoppable combo. Other than Victor Wembanyama, Jokic is the best big man in the game, as he can not only score and rebound, but he's arguably the best pure passer in the league, too.

Imagine him setting James up low in the paint, and vice versa, with James driving to the rim and then kicking it out to Jokic, Murray, and the other Nuggets? Now that would be fun to watch.

James would have to accept a huge pay cut to come to Denver, as they can only offer him the veteran's minimum salary. But if he believes that the Nuggets have a realistic chance of winning the NBA title, then it's certainly possible that he joins up with Jokic in the "Mile High City" next season, which could potentially be his last in the NBA.

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The Nuggets Need LeBron James

The reality is that the Nuggets need James to join them.

They are a great team, but they aren't as good as the Oklahoma City Thunder or the San Antonio Spurs, the clear top-two teams in the Western Conference.

But if James joined Denver, they would be right there, and they'd have a much better chance of winning the NBA Championship than without him.

If James joined Denver, they would have a starting five of Jokic at center, Aaron Gordon at power forward, LeBron James at small forward, Christian Braun at shooting guard, and Murray at point guard.

On the bench, the Nuggets would have Cameron Johnson, Tyus Jones, Marvin Bagley III, Jalen Pickett, Julian Strawther, Trevon Brazile, DaRon Holmes III, Zeke Nnaji, and potentially Spencer Jones and Peyton Watson, depending on whether they sign contracts with Denver (both are currently restricted free agents).

If the Nuggets landed James, they'd likely have to sign-and-trade Watson elsewhere. But to land the legend James, it's worth doing that.

Ultimately, it will be up to James to decide where he wants to go. But the Nuggets give him one of the best chances of winning his fifth NBA Championship of any team in the NBA, and the GOAT needs to give serious consideration to signing with Denver and teaming up with Jokic as they look to form a deadly combo.

Related: Where LeBron James Needs to Sign to Win a Fifth Ring

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This story was originally published July 13, 2026 at 7:32 PM.