The Golden State Warriors are now in a multi-team battle for LeBron James in free agency, as any viable contender with a minimum salary to offer has a pitch to make that James’ camp might consider worth hearing.
One team that has not gotten a significant amount of buzz in the James sweepstakes, but is still very much in the mix for his services, is the Denver Nuggets.
Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of “The Stein Line” reiterated Denver’s candidacy via a report in the early morning hours of Friday, July 3.
“The Denver Nuggets and Philadelphia 76ers are both known to have registered their interest in trying to pitch the 41-year-old,” Stein and Fischer wrote. “In Denver, LeBron has a longstanding friendship with Nuggets governor Josh Kroenke as well assistant coach Jared Dudley on top of his presumed admiration for Nuggets star Nikola Jokic.”
LeBron James’ Agent Names 10 Teams Interested in Signing Star
GettyLeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers.
The 76ers also emerged as a strong suitor for James following their acquisition of Jaylen Brown via a blockbuster trade with the Boston Celtics earlier this week.
“I’m told the Sixers are also trying to make a pitch to LeBron James,” ESPN’s Shams Charania reported on via SportsCenter on Thursday. “Include the Sixers and maybe one or two other teams in due time in that mix.”
Rich Paul, James’ agent and CEO of Klutch Sports, on Friday mentioned the 76ers, Celtics, Nuggets and Warriors as contenders for James. However, he also noted interest from the Cleveland Cavaliers, Dallas Mavericks, Miami Heat, Minnesota Timberwolves, New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs as potential landing spots.
“Every day things change,” Paul said, per Dave McMenamin of ESPN. “This is the first time that LeBron James is making a decision pressure-free. He’s won already. He’s made good on his promise — he won in L.A. This is strictly for his happiness.”
Warriors, Cavaliers Have Compelling Cases to Add LeBron James
GettyLeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Cavaliers finished second in the Eastern Conference last season and hold a special place in James’ heart and career given that Cleveland is very close to his hometown of Akron, Ohio and the Cavs also drafted him No. 1 overall in 2003.
James left the franchise for the Heat in 2010, earning four straight trips to the NBA Finals and winning two titles in South Beach before returning to Cleveland. He ultimately made four straight trips to the championship series with the Cavaliers, winning one ring over Steph Curry, Draymond Green and the Warriors.
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst pointed out that Golden State was the one team that “acted with knowledge” ahead of James’ official departure from the Los Angeles Lakers after eight years and a title together in Southern California.
By that, Windhorst was referencing Green’s choice to opt out of the final year of his contract, which cleared enough salary cap room for the Warriors to ink James to a $15.1 million full non-taxpayer midlevel exception. That is one potential indicator that James may end up in Golden State, though the number of teams with an apparently real chance to sign him has grown substantially in recent days.
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