This offseason, the Denver Nuggets and guard Peyton Watson have gone back and forth in negotiations for a long-term extension. Watson, 23, is coming off a career year in which he averaged 14.6 points per game, 4.9 rebounds, and 2.1 assists. 

The Nuggets finally made a substantial offer for Watson, but the amount may not be enough, as other teams could be offering more money for a long-term deal. Denver offered Watson a 5-year, $70 million contract. 

The goal of this deal is to help the Nuggets stay under the second apron and avoid paying the luxury tax. So far this summer, Denver has not traded any of their starters even though they were rumored to do so earlier in the offseason. 

Cameron Johnson and Christian Braun were two players who were rumored to be moved off, as both players are on bigger contracts but have underperformed their deals. Both players are still on the roster, leaving the Nuggets in jeopardy of paying the luxury tax. 

Peyton Watson proved last season that he can be a pivotal piece to this Nuggets roster, and not bringing him back could hurt them more than they think. Denver has kept nearly the same core from their 2023 championship season, and Watson's success was something the team needed.  

The Nuggets need younger talent on their roster, and Watson is the perfect fit on this aging roster. Even though he only played 54 games this season, he proved he's worth a spot on the roster for the foreseeable future. 

Multiple teams have expressed interest in completing a sign-and-trade with the Nuggets to acquire Peyton Watson, and as more time goes on, there's a bigger chance Watson will be in a different uniform come the start of the regular season. 

The Nuggets have even told teams what it is they're looking for from a potential sign-and-trade for Watson. Shams Charania of ESPN reports that Denver is looking for a "high-level player" as well as two first-round picks. 

The team's want for a big return shows how highly they value Watson, which could be an indicator he is staying. Nothing is set in stone as of now, and Denver will likely have to trade away one or two pieces to get the deal done, but negotiations could still be ongoing, and there may be a resolution faster than other teams may think.