Peyton Watson is still lining up as one of the Denver Nuggets’ biggest priorities in free agency, and for now the most likely outcome remains the same: Denver trying to keep its restricted free agent in place.
But there is at least one team to watch if the market gets interesting. Marc Stein reported on The Stein Line that Watson has been labeled a “likely Clippers target,” a detail worth tracking once free agency opens this week.
That possibility starts to make more sense when you look at the other noise around Los Angeles. The Clippers have had Kawhi Leonard trade rumors hanging over their offseason plans for several days, with the San Antonio Spurs and Toronto Raptors mentioned as possible destinations. If Leonard gets moved, the Clippers could suddenly be shopping for a two-way wing with Watson’s profile - young, defensive, and built for a different timeline than the one they’d be leaving behind.
There’s also the money side. Moving Leonard’s $50 million expiring contract could open up room, and Los Angeles already has $34 million in existing maximum cap space. That gives the Clippers a path to be more than just a background team if they decide to pivot.
Still, Denver remains the team with the clearest advantage. The Nuggets have Watson’s restricted free agent rights, which means they can match any offer sheet he signs.
And all signs point to them being willing to pay up. The Nuggets have been tied to the idea of matching any outside offer, while also potentially putting forward a deal that could land somewhere around $30 million AAV.
“The Nuggets are expected to offer Peyton Watson ‘somewhere north of $28-30 million per year’ to try and keep him in Denver“It’s gonna be a big contract for Peyton Watson, but in order to do so they’re gonna have to free some cap room. So it will be Christian Braun, it will be… pic.twitter.com/igmGhhC6iw
If Watson does end up leaving, it would likely take a massive offer Denver has no interest in matching. And with few teams believed to have that kind of money available - plus only limited outside interest beyond maybe the Clippers - that scenario still looks like a long shot.
So yes, Los Angeles is a name to keep in the mix. But right now, the Nuggets still look like the team most likely to land the deal that keeps Peyton Watson in Denver.
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For Denver, the appeal is obvious on paper. Pairing James with Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray would give the Nuggets another elite layer in a championship equation that already has plenty of weight, even if there is no direct connection between the sides and no sign James is leaning their way. The possibility is enough to linger, though, because the league's biggest names do not often reach the open market in a way that leaves even a long shot looking like a real offseason lifeline. [Read more 🡒]