Friday Faceoff: What move do the Avalanche, Nuggets need to make to win a title in 2027?

Evan Rawal, Avalanche reporter

Answer: Add a top-four defenseman

For the Avalanche to win the Stanley Cup in 2027, Joe Sakic must work his magic and find the team another top-four defenseman.

Colorado brought back both Brett Kulak and Brent Burns to go with Josh Manson in their bottom three, so they’ll be in good-enough shape to get through the regular season just fine. All of them have a lot of tread on their tires and, at this stage in their careers, it’s best to have them in bottom-pair roles when the postseason rolls around.

The only way to do that is to bring in another top-four defenseman.

Cale Makar, when healthy, is the best defenseman in the world, but Devon Toews’ underlying numbers the past two years have dipped, which must be a slight concern. Sam Malinski’s breakout season earned him a nice extension, and the Avalanche will need him to repeat that. Finding him a potential long-term partner should be a priority.

It’s one of the reasons why it’ll be important for the Avalanche to develop some young forwards this upcoming season. They need to save all the assets they can to fill their greatest needs as opposed to trading them away for depth forwards, and that need is on the blue line.

Vinny Benedetto, Nuggets reporter

Answer: Convince LeBron James to play in Denver

Denver has been an option for LeBron James since the Nuggets and Cavaliers finished the 2002-03 regular season tied with the worst record in the NBA.

Cleveland, of course, won the right to draft James at No. 1, while Denver settled for Carmelo Anthony at No. 3. James has four titles to Denver’s one since.

Some 23 years later, it’s time for Josh Kroenke to get his buddy on the area’s finest golf course and convince him Denver is the best basketball situation to win No. 5. The pitch is simple: James leaves some money on the table, and ownership picks up the tab on a massive tax bill to field the best team.

A starting lineup featuring James, Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon and Cam Johnson would be the best in the NBA by a healthy margin. A bench bolstered by Christian Braun, Peyton Watson and other veterans who take minimums to chase a championship would give Denver the depth to match recent champions.

It’s not only the best option; it’s Denver’s only chance to win a championship next season. Ownership isn’t paying the tax bill to run it back with a roster that didn’t come close, and the likely cost-cutting moves that come after LeBron goes back to Cleveland or Miami won’t make Denver any better.