Could the Atlanta Hawks get Peyton Watson?
According to NBA insider Dave McMenamin of ESPN, the Atlanta Hawks are a "serious candidate" to land Denver Nuggets restricted free agent Peyton Watson.
For the Nuggets last season, Watson averaged 14.6 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game while shooting 49.1% from the field, 41.1% from beyond the arc and 73.0% from the free-throw line. He's one of the best two-way wings in the NBA.
Watson has been in the NBA since 2022. He holds career averages of 8.7 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game.
As a restricted free agent, Watson can sign an offer sheet with the Hawks and then the Nuggets would have 48 hours to match the offer sheet or let the swingman leave in a sign-and-trade deal.
The Hawks lost to the New York Knicks in the first round of the 2026 playoffs in six games.
Atlanta's front office has been very busy this offseason. They signed CJ McCollum to an extension, re-signed Jock Landale, acquired Devin Carter from the Sacramento Kings, Aaron Wiggins and Lu Dort from the Oklahoma City Thunder and Ryan Nembhard from the Dallas Mavericks, declined Jonathan Kuminga's team option and drafted Kingston Flemings, Zuby Ejiofor and Henri Veesaar in the 2026 draft.
Kuminga's restricted free agency with the Golden State Warriors last summer took forever. It appears his unrestricted free agency this summer will drag out too.
Kuminga has career averages of 12.5 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game in the regular season and 8.0 points per game in the playoffs. He won the 2022 championship with the Warriors against the Boston Celtics.
The Hawks haven't won a playoff series since 2021. That's the year Trae Young led Atlanta to the Eastern Conference Finals, a series the Milwaukee Bucks won in six games.
Atlanta ranked dead last in the NBA in isolation scoring last season (0.80 points per possession), shooting only 37.6% overall on their lowly 4.8 attempts per game. Some people around the league believe Atlanta needs to re-sign Kuminga, but that may not happen.
It will be fascinating to see if the Hawks get Watson. Kuminga and Watson have been linked to the Cleveland Cavaliers, who need a starting small forward after losing Dean Wade to the Philadelphia 76ers and not getting franchise legend LeBron James.
