The Los Angeles Clippers are no longer alone in the pursuit of Peyton Watson.
After spending much of the week viewed as the Denver Nuggets‘ restricted free agent’s most aggressive outside suitor, the Clippers now have company.
NBA insider Jake Fischer reported Friday in The Stein Line that the Atlanta Hawks have entered the race for Watson, adding another team to what had largely been viewed as a Clippers-Nuggets negotiation.
“Atlanta, sources say, has also shown some fresh interest in Watson, which would likewise require a sign-and-trade to make it happen,” Fischer wrote.
The Hawks’ emergence adds another wrinkle to one of the NBA’s more intriguing restricted free-agent situations, with multiple teams now monitoring one of the league’s top young defensive wings.
Like the Clippers, Atlanta would need Denver’s cooperation to acquire Watson because he remains a restricted free agent.
Clippers Remain Interested in Watson
The Hawks’ interest does not appear to have changed the Clippers’ evaluation of Watson.
Fischer wrote that Los Angeles continues to covet the 23-year-old former UCLA standout and has shown interest in a deal worth more than $25 million annually, the salary range Watson is believed to be seeking.
The Clippers have viewed Watson as a long-term two-way piece capable of fitting alongside new franchise cornerstones Darius Garland and fifth overall pick Keaton Wagler as they enter the post-Kawhi Leonard era.
Watson’s combination of length, athleticism and defensive versatility has made him one of the most sought-after restricted free agents remaining on the market.
Earlier this week, Fischer identified the Clippers as Denver’s biggest external threat to sign Watson away.
The Hawks’ arrival now gives Los Angeles another team to contend with as negotiations continue around the 23-year-old forward.
Mathurin Still Looms as Clippers’ Alternative
GettyLos Angeles Clippers’ own restricted free agent Bennedict Mathurin remains unsigned.
The Clippers’ pursuit of Watson also comes with another variable.
During Bleacher Report’s NBA Summer League livestream Thursday in Las Vegas, Fischer said Los Angeles has become increasingly likely to retain restricted free agent Bennedict Mathurin, whom the Clippers acquired from the Indiana Pacers earlier this offseason.
“I’ve been told that the Clippers, at this point in time, are actually more likely than we thought before earlier in the week to bring back Ben Mathurin in comparison to bringing in Peyton Watson,” Fischer said.
That could ultimately shape how aggressively the Clippers continue to pursue Watson as free agency progresses.
For now, however, Fischer’s latest reporting indicates Los Angeles remains firmly in the mix.
Watson Has Become One of Free Agency’s Top Names
Watson elevated his value during a breakout 2025-26 season, averaging 14.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.1 blocks while developing into one of Denver’s most versatile young players.
When three-time MVP Nikola Jokić missed time late in the season with a hyperextended knee, Watson assumed a larger offensive role, averaging 22.5 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.4 blocks over a 17-game stretch.
Those performances transformed Watson from a promising role player into one of the offseason’s most coveted restricted free agents.
Now the Clippers aren’t just negotiating against the Nuggets.
They’ll also have to keep an eye on the Hawks as another team explores a path to acquiring one of the Western Conference’s rising young forwards.
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