The Detroit Pistons may still have one more move left in them before July closes, and the name that fits their needs best is Denver Nuggets guard Peyton Watson.
Detroit has already done plenty this offseason, though not every move has landed the same way with the fanbase. General manager Trajan Langdon has drawn mixed reactions for the work he’s put in so far, and plenty of fans still want more help added to a roster that is trying to put itself in position to chase its first NBA championship since 2004.
The Pistons, coming off the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference, have already upgraded their shooting by bringing in former Oklahoma City guard Isaiah Joe and Milwaukee Bucks forward Taurean Prince through trades. They also added veteran forward John Collins on a three-year, $51 million deal after Tobias Harris left to join Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs.
Even with those additions, Detroit could use more shooting and more depth around Cade Cunningham. That’s where Watson comes in.
Watson averaged 14.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game last season with Denver, and he also shot 41.1 percent from three-point range. His fourth season with the Nuggets ended early after he suffered a Grade 2 left hamstring strain, which kept him out of the postseason. Denver, the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference, then lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves in six games in the first round.
For a Pistons team looking to ease the load on Cunningham, Watson checks a lot of boxes. He would give Detroit more help in the backcourt and another young piece who has improved every season since entering the NBA. That kind of growth matters for a roster whose youth is still coming into form.
There is still competition, though. The Nuggets are expected to push hard to keep Watson, and Detroit would have to work around that. The Pistons do have the cap space to make a run at him, since they have not yet reached an agreement with their star center, Jalen Duren.
Watson is a restricted free agent, just like Duren, which gives Detroit a couple of possible paths. The Pistons could offer him a contract that Denver would need to match, or they could try to land him in a sign-and-trade.
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