The Cleveland Cavaliers came within four wins of the NBA Finals last season, but it’s clear they still need one more major piece to get over the hump. This summer, they were hoping to add four-time champion LeBron James as that final, win-now piece, but they are having to settle for alternatives after he agreed to join the Philadelphia 76ers.
DeMar DeRozan and Jonathan Kuminga are both well-known free agent targets for the Cavs right now, but there’s another, more ambitious name that’s drawing their attention: Peyton Watson. As a restricted free agent, the path to getting Watson is murky, but it’s one the Cavaliers are actively considering, according to insider Chris Fedor.
“What’s available right now in free agency is not very appealing, but there is DeMar DeRozan, there is Jonathan Kuminga, and there is Peyton Watson. They have interest in all three, including Peyton Watson. Two of the three become a little bit more complicated,” said Chris Fedor. “With Jonathan Kuminga and Peyton Watson, it’s very, very different from the Cavs’ perspective, and I think both are really, really complicated for a variety of reasons.”
With averages of 14.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 0.9 steals, and 1.1 blocks per game last season, Peyton Watson was a major part of the Nuggets‘ rotation, starting 40 out of 54 games played. Despite his modest role as a supporting player, his impact on the wing proved invaluable for Denver, and they’d much prefer to keep him over anything else.
The problem is that Watson is demanding roughly $25 million per year in his next contract, conflicting with the Nuggets’ hard-cap-second-apron constraints. As it stands, they have $140 million tied up in their “big three” alone (Jokic, Murray, Gordon), leaving guys like Watson as the odd one out. So, while they can hardly afford to lose him for nothing, they can’t afford to keep him on his terms, creating an untenable situation for everyone.
Seeing an opportunity, multiple teams have already tried to make a run at Watson (including the Lakers), but the Nuggets initially set a high price, putting off many from making a deal. It wasn’t until recently that they lowered their ask to one high-level rotation player and one first-round pick, but no team has yet answered the call.
Assuming he doesn’t take a 1-year, $6.5 million qualifying offer next season, the only way the Cavs could realistically sign him is via sign-and-trade. To avoid giving up a major piece like Jarrett Allen, Cleveland would likely need to involve a third team and give up assets like Max Strus and draft picks. It’d be a risky bargain, but Watson is the ideal fit for their roster. He could slide right into the starting small forward spot, completing one of the best starting lineups in the NBA (Donovan Mitchell, James Harden, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen).
Ultimately, we don’t know how the Watson situation will play out, but there’s no rush to settle things now. With months to go before training camp, he’s determined to wait as long as it takes to get his way, even if it means forcing himself out of Denver. If the Cavaliers are smart, they will jump at the chance to add a quality role player, but actually completing this trade isn’t so easily done under the NBA’s new CBA.
