The Pistons’ summer has been busy enough to count as progress, but not busy enough to feel like a true breakthrough. A lot of that comes back to Jalen Duren, whose uncertain future has kept Detroit from making the kind of move that changes the temperature of an offseason.
The organization wants to keep its All-NBA big man, but the contract gap has created a mess. Duren is also determined to push for a sign-and-trade unless Detroit raises its offer, which has put Trajan Langdon in a difficult position and slowed everything else down.
That’s why the Pistons may need to shift some of their attention to another restricted free agent: Peyton Watson.
Watson, 23, just put together a career season with the Nuggets, posting 14.6 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists while shooting 49.1% from the field and 41.1% from deep. Denver didn’t ask him to carry a huge load as a third option, but that limited role also helped make his offensive jump stand out around the league.
He’s already shown he can defend and contribute on both ends, and the idea now is that a bigger role could unlock even more. In a system that gives him more touches, Watson has started to look like a player with star potential.
Denver had been expected to keep him, but The Athletic’s Sam Amick reported that the Nuggets are now open to sign-and-trade possibilities for the 6-foot-8 guard. That at least gives Detroit a lane to explore.
Watson makes sense next to Cade Cunningham because of his two-way upside, and he could slide into an offense that might bring out more of his game right away. He’d also give the Pistons another young piece who could grow alongside Cunningham, which matters in a market that is getting thinner by the day.
Of course, any deal would require Detroit to send salary back, and acquiring a restricted free agent always brings extra complications. Still, if the Pistons can find a way through it, the payoff could be worth the effort.
Detroit has already shown interest in Trey Murphy III, and while Watson is not the same player, he fits the same general idea: a young, versatile target who could raise the level of the roster around Cunningham.
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