Donovan Mitchell made one thing clear at Cavaliers Media Day: Peyton Watson wasn’t his pitch.
Mitchell addressed the new Cleveland forward and shut down the idea that he helped recruit him to town this summer. “I saw Peyton Watson at the World Cup, and I told Koby [Altman] - we were just talking briefly, I had nothing to do with him coming here - I was like, man, he’s tall as shit. Like, I didn’t know he was that tall," Mitchell said.
That didn’t stop the Cavaliers from making Watson one of their biggest offseason additions. Cleveland kept most of its core intact, added talent around the edges, and brought in Watson on a four-year, $88 million deal. For a team that has spent the last few seasons chasing a championship, the move fits the mission.
The Cavs reached the Eastern Conference Finals a year ago after getting past the second round, but their run ended there with a sweep at the hands of the New York Knicks. Now, with the 2026-27 season ahead, the focus in Cleveland is back where it’s been for a while: finishing the job.
Watson gives the roster something it can use. He’s a legitimate wing stopper with enough offensive game to matter on the other end, too. His growth has been steady, and Cleveland believes his presence can help tilt matchups in its favor.
Last season with the Denver Nuggets, Watson put up 14.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 0.9 steals, and 1.1 blocks per game while shooting 41.1 percent from three. That outside shooting stands out most, and it’s a skill the Cavaliers can plug into right away.
Playing with Mitchell and co-star James Harden should also open things up for him. If the looks get easier, Watson has a chance to push his numbers even higher.
That’s the profile Cleveland wanted: a prototypical three-and-D wing who can handle the toughest defensive assignments and still make opponents pay on the other end. With the contract he signed, the expectations are real. But the Cavaliers are entering the season feeling as confident as ever, and Watson is now part of the push.
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Cavaliers Just Unveiled A Giveaway Fans From 2016 Will Love
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For longtime Cleveland fans, though, the item likely to draw the biggest reaction is the mini championship banner marking the 10th anniversary of the 2016 title. It is the kind of giveaway that reminds everyone how much that run still matters in the building, and it gives the team a way to tap into that nostalgia while the season ahead gets underway. [Read more 🡒]