What does the Bucks' interest in Peyton Watson mean for the Nuggets?
The Denver Nuggets and free agent guard Peyton Watson have been in ongoing negotiations to come up with a long-term deal to keep Watson around. Re-signing Watson could be an issue, considering the Nuggets have a salary cap issue they're trying to navigate.
While Watson is a free agent, he is restricted as Denver tendered a qualifying offer to Watson, meaning they can match any offer another team gives the 23-year-old. The Nuggets aren't the only team trying to have Peyton Watson on their roster next season.
The Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Clippers, and Atlanta Hawks are three teams with younger rosters, and they wouldn't mind having a young player like Watson who is poised for a big season in 2026. Each team has expressed interest in a potential sign-and-trade to acquire Watson this offseason.
How Important Is It To Bring Watson Back?
Since winning the NBA Championship in 2023, the Nuggets have kept almost the same core on their team, and after a first-round playoff exit, the franchise should be looking to get younger as they look to get back to championship status.
In the regular season, Denver was the 3rd seed in the Western Conference and finished with a 54-28 record. They looked like one of the better teams in the NBA, but a complete collapse in the first round left them on the outside looking in.
Near the end of the regular season, Peyton Watson re-aggravated a hamstring injury that caused him to miss the entirety of the first round. Watson only played 54 games in 2025-2026, and if he had played the entire season, Denver could be in a different spot.
Ron Chenoy-Imagn ImagesWatson's scoring ability is something the Nuggets have lacked off the bench in the backcourt for multiple seasons, and it would be a big loss if he signed elsewhere. In 2025-2026, he averaged a career-high 14.6 points per game while shooting 41.1 percent from three-point range.
If the Nuggets cannot find a way to bring him back, they could be in a spot in terms of bench scoring next season. Denver has already dealt with inconsistencies from their starting lineup aside from Nikola Jokic, and if their bench significantly downgrades, they would not be able to make a deep playoff run.
The Nuggets still have time to figure out how they will bring back Peyton Watson, but it will be interesting to see if they entertain offers for the breakout star.
