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The Denver Nuggets had reported interest in LeBron James when the all-time great was hitting free agency in 2018. The Los Angeles Lakers won the pursuit for the former first overall pick, but Denver's interest in James proved that they were ready to take the next step when it came to winning.
Denver certainly has done a lot of winning since, even without James. They won the championship in 2023, and the kid from Akron has struggled to collect victories over the Nuggets ever since.
The Nuggets swept the Lakers en route to winning the NBA Finals for the first time, Jamal Murray hit two game-winners in Denver's 2024 postseason triumph over Los Angeles, and the Nikola Jokic-led team has beaten James' squad in 15 of their last 20 matchups in total.
James may now be open to a trade away from the Lakers, and joining the team that he has struggled to beat recently could make some sense. So what would a James-to-Denver trade look like?
Nuggets' possible trade package for LeBron James
Nuggets receive: LeBron James, Bronny James
Lakers receive: Michael Porter Jr., Zeke Nnaji, Dario Saric, Julian Strawther, 2031 first-round pick (top 20 protected)
Michael Porter Jr. struggled in the postseason for the second straight season. His recent playoff shortcomings have led to some Nuggets fans pushing for a trade. While the 6-foot-10 sharpshooter's shooting struggles can be pinned on injuries and he plays a vital role as a catch-and-shoot threat for Jokic to kick the ball out to, he is Denver's best trade chip.
Porter is a career 40.6% shooter from deep. He is far from elite defensively, but his feel for the game has improved over the years. He was one of the key pieces to delivering the Nuggets their first title.
The Nuggets don't have much to offer in the trade market, but Porter would better fit a Doncic timeline than James would, even though the latter is the far superior player. Like Jokic, Doncic thrives when playmaking for his teammates, so it would make sense to give him a long-term shooting weapon.
The Nuggets, meanwhile, would get the piece that could get them back into the NBA Finals. James has made the championship series 10 times, winning the whole thing in four of those cracks at it. His basketball IQ is only matched by Jokic, so together, they'd be playing chest in comparison to their opponents playing checkers.
They are also both two of the best triple-double-getters in league history. Together, they'd stuff the stat sheet on a nightly basis. James is far from a long-term play for the Nuggets, but if he could help them get one more championship during Jokic's prime, then trading for him would be worth it.
Will the Lakers trade LeBron James?
Rumors of James' trade interest circulated after he picked up his $52.6 million player option. While his contract prevents him from hitting free agency this offseason, James' agent, Rich Paul, alluded to potential trade interest for his client.
Paul said, “He knows the Lakers are building for the future. He [James] understands that, but he values a realistic chance of winning it all. We are very appreciative of the partnership that we've had for eight years with Jeanie [Buss] and Rob [Pelinka] and consider the Lakers as a critical part of his career.”
James wants another ring before his inevitable retirement, and the Lakers might not have the roster that can get him there. The team traded for Luka Doncic last year, and although James and Doncic form an incredible duo, the Lakers still have glaring holes on their roster. A lack of center depth is the biggest weakness.
That wouldn't be a problem in Denver, considering the Nuggets employ the best center in the NBA. Still, a return to Los Angeles seems likely for James. The best small forward ever is likely putting pressure on his team to make moves more so than he is looking to be traded. After all, the Lakers already made one of the biggest trades ever when they acquired Doncic.
The Western Conference is stacked, and Los Angeles needs to be aggressive in the trade market and in free agency, but trading James seems unlikely. The Chosen One will likely finish out his career with the Lakers.
