Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell revealed that he didn't recruit Peyton Watson to come to the team this summer.
The Cleveland Cavaliers will enter the 2026-27 season with the goal to win the NBA championship.
This has been the endgame for this franchise over the last few seasons, but the team hasn't been able to get over the hump. However, Cleveland was able to get past the second round of the playoffs a year ago, reaching the Eastern Conference Finals.
But once there, the Cavaliers were swept by the New York Knicks, ending their playoff run. So, entering this current season, there is a lot of excitement around Cleveland, with the players feeling as confident as ever.
Cleveland upgraded the roster over the summer, bringing back most players, while also adding some talent. The big acquisition for the Cavaliers was signing defensive forward Peyton Watson to a massive contract.
Having Watson on the roster now gives Cleveland a legitimate wing stopper, who can also score on the offensive end. Watson has seen his game grow each season in the NBA, and his presence should help this team out greatly.
But as the season gets started soon, Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell revealed that he didn't have anything to do with Watson coming to town. Mitchell spoke at Media Day, giving thought to the Watson move.
“I saw Peyton Watson at the World Cup, and I told Koby [Altman] — we were just talking briefly, I had nothing to do with him coming here — I was like, man, he’s tall as shit. Like, I didn’t know he was that tall," Mitchell said.
While Mitchell didn't help bring Watson to Cleveland, he is surely glad that he is now on the roster. Watson adds a different element that the Cavaliers haven't had, and this could see them finally get over the hump.
Last season with the Denver Nuggets, Watson averaged 14.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 0.9 steals, and 1.1 blocks per game. In addition, Watson shot 41.1 percent from beyond the three-point line for Denver.
This is where he has most improved, and the Cavaliers could use his ability to knock down threes. Playing alongside Mitchell and co-star James Harden, Watson could get easy shot attempts, giving him a chance to see his numbers increase even more.
The forward is the prototypical three-and-D wing player that every team in the NBA covets for their rosters. Having someone like Watson, who can take on the toughest assignment from opposing teams, gives Cleveland an extra way to exploit opponents on a nightly basis.
With the contract that he signed over the summer, a four-year, $88 million deal, there will be more pressure on Watson to succeed with Cleveland. But the veteran forward is up for the challenge, and this entire team is ready to go after a title this year.
