The Denver Nuggets are staring at a tricky Peyton Watson situation, and the numbers are starting to tell the story. What began as a contract conversation around a hefty payday has apparently climbed even higher, with Watson now eyeing a deal in the $28 million-per-year range.
That’s the latest word from ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel, who broke down the talks on “Clutch Scoops.” According to Siegel, Denver’s offers have been sitting in the $20-24 million per year range, while Watson and his camp are pushing well beyond that.
“Peyton Watson and his camp want something in that $28 million north range, and the offers so far have been fluctuating between that $20-24 million per year range,” Siegel reported.
The gap is no small thing. Earlier reports had Watson looking for nearly $25 million annually, so this latest ask marks a clear jump. And with Denver already boxed in by cap problems, that kind of increase makes the negotiation even tougher to bridge.
Siegel also pointed to the Christian Braun extension as part of the backdrop here.
“From the Nuggets’ perspective, when you’re Klutch, and you’re Peyton Watson, you want more than Christian Braun, because he just got paid last year. I believe it is $25 million a year annually. You [Watson] want a deal that’s going to make you better, because they did use him more…”
Braun’s deal gave Denver another expensive piece on the books, and he’s set to carry a $21.5 million cap hit this season. From Watson’s side, the logic is easy enough to follow: if his role grew and his value rose, he’s going to want a contract that reflects that.
The problem for Denver is that the math is ugly. The Nuggets are carrying a $214.1 million payroll, which leaves them $5.1 million over the first apron and just $6.9 million under the second. In other words, they can’t simply hand Watson a new deal right now and call it a day.
If Denver wants to keep him, it may need to make room the hard way. That would mean moving salary in trades, and two names have already surfaced as possible paths to creating flexibility: Aaron Gordon at $31.9 million and Cam Johnson at $23.0 million.
That kind of move would be a major step just to hold onto Watson, but there’s a reason the Nuggets may be willing to go there. Last season, after earning a bigger role, Watson flashed the kind of two-way impact that makes front offices think twice. He averaged 14.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 0.9 steals and 1.1 blocks per game, while shooting 49.1% from the field and 41.1% from three.
For Denver, the issue now is whether that production is enough to justify the price tag and the roster gymnastics it would take to keep him. If the Nuggets can’t clear the necessary space, they may be forced to let him test the market, especially if another team comes in with an offer sheet.
There’s also the possibility that Denver would prefer a different route if it comes to that, with rumors suggesting the team could look to maximize returns instead.
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