After trading for superstar guard Luka Doncic, the Los Angeles Lakers have made it clear that they are prioritizing their future success over their short-term window with LeBron James at the helm. The 40-year-old forward is undoubtedly nearing retirement, and with his future in LA in doubt, he could be on the move one last time before hanging them up.
Last month, ESPN's Shams Charania reported that James is "closely monitoring" the Lakers' moves and could be contemplating his future with the franchise.
LeBron James wants a chance to compete for another championship and has been monitoring the Lakers’ moves this offseason, per @ShamsCharania
It remains to be seen how much of his playing future will be with the team.
“James, the NBA's career leading scorer, wants to compete… pic.twitter.com/exe9JAcTro
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) June 29, 2025
"James, the NBA's career leading scorer, wants to compete for a championship next season and potentially beyond and will be closely monitoring the Lakers' moves and whether the team is positioning itself this offseason to field a title-contending roster," Charania said. "…As Paul laid out, it remains to be seen how much of his playing future will remain with the Lakers -- despite what James has said in the past."
While James is arguably the greatest player of all time and still playing at an extremely high level in year 22, his potential suitors on the trade market would be unknown if the Lakers and the superstar forward ultimately explore that route. Still, one team that has come to mind for many is the Denver Nuggets, pairing James with three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic.
I would love LeBron on the Nuggets https://t.co/q7or8bQjxd pic.twitter.com/PdIvDvGy8g
— Nuggets Lead (@NuggetsLead) June 29, 2025
Bleacher Report's Dan Favale proposed a "realistic" trade between the Lakers and Nuggets that would send LeBron James to Denver.
Denver Nuggets receive: LeBron James, Bronny James
Los Angeles Lakers receive: Jamal Murray, Peyton Watson, DaRon Holmes II, 2028 first-round pick swap
This is, no question, a wild trade idea, but it is worth exploring for the Nuggets. While no team should sacrifice their future for a 40-year-old, a Jokic-LeBron duo for even one season would be incredible. However, there are so many championship-caliber teams in the NBA that a duo of that caliber is not even guaranteed a Western Conference Finals appearance, making the move very risky.
Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) controls the ball against Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23)
Apr 25, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) controls the ball against Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) during the second half in game three of the first round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
"This is another situation in which a team is swapping out youth for LeBron entering his age-41 season. It is also another scenario in which said team might prefer this direction. Murray is set to begin his four-year, $207.8 million extension this coming season, and Watson is extension-eligible now. The Nuggets may welcome the extra long-term optionality that LeBron's expiring deal would bring, especially with Christian Braun in line for a new deal," Favale wrote.
The Nuggets' offseason moves so far are showing that the franchise is looking to compete for a championship with Jokic while they still can, and making a push for a player of James' caliber would be another huge step in that direction.