The Los Angeles Clippers were one of the top suitors for Peyton Watson throughout most of free agency but they, like Watson's other top suitors, were s left out in the cold when Watson was instead sent to the Cleveland Cavaliers in a sign-and-trade deal with the Denver Nuggets. 

The Clippers did get some value out of the Watson trade as they were ultimately involved in the trade and had Max Strus sent their way, but they likely would have preferred to have Watson himself, especially after also missing out on Bennedict Mathurin, leaving the Clippers deeply bereft of impactful wings. 

But the overall price that the Nuggets were asking the Clippers for may have been too much to bear and even if it landed them Watson, what the Clippers might have had to give up could have set the Clippers back even more, which they simply can't afford especially after staring down the NBA's massive punishment for the Clippers' attempt at salary cap circumvention. 

A recent report from the Denver Post went into detail about the Nuggets' asking price for Watson from several teams and the price they were looking for from the Clippers would have been a major sacrifice of the future in exchange for the present and the extent of the deal would have been damaging for the Nuggets as well.

“Kris Dunn was another potential player brought up in conversations with the Clippers, but Denver wouldn’t have agreed to a deal involving the 32-year-old guard without also getting draft capital back from Los Angeles, a source said."

The report continued, "Pulling that off would’ve been difficult because for the Nuggets, taking back any salary in a sign-and-trade would hard-cap them at the second apron by rule, meaning they would need to send out another player in addition to Watson.”

The Clippers are in the middle of the rebuild and wouldn't have been in the position to give up draft capital before they were told that they would be forfeiting five first-round picks and after that decision they certainly wouldn't have been in the position to spare any capital. 

Similarly, the Nuggets aren't in a position to part with many existing players considering how strapped for depth they are, so the idea of having to work around Dunn's salary by shipping out someone else could have made the deal a non-starter. 

Looking at both sides of the situation, it seems like Watson to Los Angeles simply wasn't meant to be, no matter he would have fit on the Clippers' roster or how pivotal he could have been for the future of the franchise. 

As talented as Watson is, the Clippers didn't have the right conditions or assets that they were willing to part to make a deal and considering the situation, coming out of the deal with Strus seems to have been the best-case scenario for the team.