One name has loomed over the Denver Nuggets' fairly inactive offseason and as the clock keeps ticking, the Nuggets either needs to up the aggression in their pursuit of Peyton Watson or explore a different option that still lets them capitalize on their negotiating advantages with the young forward. 

Watson is a restricted free agent, meaning that the Nuggets have veto rights over any contract offer he receives from an outside team, which should give the Nuggets an edge to at least match the other offers that Watson is hearing around the league after a breakout season as Denver's most productive role player. 

According to reports, Watson's targeted range for salary is at least north of $25 million per year and considering how long he's remained a free agent after the Denver front office publicly declared that retaining Watson would be the team's top priority, it seems that Watson's price may be too high for the financially conservative Nuggets.

That leaves the Nuggets with another option that acts as a part-way move between paying him to stay on the roster and letting him walk: a sign-and-trade.

“The Denver Nuggets intend to match any offers for restricted free agent Peyton Watson when the NBA’s moratorium lifts on Monday... Yet as the Nuggets and Watson’s agent, Rich Paul of the Klutch Sports Group, have continued to be apart in negotiations for a new contract, sources say Denver is also very open to the prospect of a sign-and-trade for the 23-year-old forward," Sam Amick wrote (via The Athletic).

A sign-and-trade is somewhat of a happy medium that gives the Nuggets control over where Watson ends up while also ensuring that the tam get's something in return after missing out on the top free agent from their roster. 

Should they pursue that course, the team that stands out the most as a sign-and-trade option is the Los Angeles Clippers, who have been attached to Watson in reports and have accumulated an abundance of young talent and draft picks that they could bargain with. 

Partnering with the Clippers in a sign-and-trade could land the Nuggets multiple players, such as Derrick Jones Jr. or younger talent like Jordan Miller and Kobe Sanders, or hand them future first-round picks in 2029, 2030 or 2031. 

Doing that would help the Nuggets save on the money they would otherwise be shelling out for Watson and help them add young talent around Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray as an investment in the future. 

Beyond that option, though, the Nuggets could simply commit to the hefty price tag that Watson is expecting and hold on to their young swingman.