Peyton Watson says the Nuggets brought him back too soon from the hamstring injury that ended his postseason.
Watson, who missed six weeks earlier in the 2025-26 season after suffering a Grade 2 hamstring strain in February, said the problem flared again in early April and kept him out of the 2026 Playoffs. The Denver forward believed the setback came after he was pushed back onto the floor before he was ready.
“I felt a little tweak in rehab, and it was a minor setback. Then I remember going out there and re-injuring my hamstring in game 80 of the season. I feel like Denver rushed it and didn’t take the right approach,” Watson said on the latest episode of Michael Porter Jr.'s Curious Mike podcast.
Watson had been one of Denver’s better players during the season, giving the Nuggets valuable perimeter and interior defense while also taking a clear step forward on offense. He jumped from 8.1 points per game in 2024-25 to 14.6 points per game the next season, and his three-point shooting rose from 35.3% to 41.1%.
That production made his absence sting even more in the postseason series against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Watson would have been a strong matchup for Jaden McDaniels, but instead he was sidelined after the injury re-aggravation.
His agent, Rich Paul of Klutch Sports, said on his Game Over podcast with Max Kellerman that he advised Watson not to rush back, calling it a “business decision” with free agency approaching. Watson is now with the Cleveland Cavaliers on a four-year $88 million contract.
For Denver, the loss was a major one. Watson’s development had made him a clean fit next to Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, and Aaron Gordon, and the Nuggets wound up missing that two-way impact when it mattered most.
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