One of the best players remaining in free agency this offseason is Denver Nuggets star Peyton Watson.
The 23-year-old forward is a restricted free agent. Denver’s initial offer was reportedly a four-year, $70 million contract, as per Marc Stein of The Stein Line.
It was lower than what Watson’s expected extension was, which was more than Christian Braun‘s five-year, $125 million deal last summer. He is also reportedly considering accepting the $6.5 million qualifying offer to become an unrestricted free agent next year.
Nuggets Exec’s Peyton Watson Statement
GettyPeyton Watson #8 of the Denver Nuggets celebrates with fans after the game against the Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena on January 22, 2026 in Washington, DC.
In an interview with Spotrac’s Keith Smith, an anonymous Denver Nuggets front office executive revealed that they want to keep Peyton Watson.
“We want Peyton to stay with us,” the exec said. “He’s an important player for us. We’ll see where things go with his contract, but we’ve made it clear our intention is for him to stay with us.”
It will be tough for the Nuggets to keep Watson due to financial constraints of being in the second apron. They need to free up some money, with Christian Braun, Cameron Johnson and Aaron Gordon, among the names mentioned in the rumor mill since their season ended in the first round of the playoffs.
Watson is coming off the best season of his career, averaging 14.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.1 blocks in 54 games. He was the Nuggets’ second-best player once Nikola Jokic went down with an injury in January.
He put up 21.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.0 steal and 1.5 blocks on 49.0% shooting from the field, including 46.2% from 3-point range in January.
4 Teams Interested in Watson
GettyPeyton Watson #8 of the Denver Nuggets grabs a rebound against the Washington Wizards during the second half at Capital One Arena on January 22, 2026 in Washington, DC.
It should be noted that Keith Smith interviewed the Denver Nuggets executive during the 2026 NBA Summer League. The Nuggets’ stance on Peyton Watson could have changed since then, especially after Michael Scotto’s recent scoop.
According to Scotto, the Nuggets are reportedly looking for a first-round pick and a “notable” player in a sign-and-trade scenario for Watson.
Four teams are interested in Watson, which are the Cleveland Cavaliers, Milwaukee Bucks, Atlanta Hawks and Los Angeles Clippers. The Cavs and Bucks are open to making a sign-and-trade, while the Hawks and Clippers are just “exploring” the acquisition of Watson.
The good news for the Nuggets is that no team can outright sign Watson to a massive contract due to the lack of cap space. They can also match an offer if a team decides to do it anyway.
Nuggets This Offseason
The Denver Nuggets have not made any big moves this offseason. They re-signed Tyus Jones to a new contract and retained Spencer Jones after matching the Oklahoma City Thunder‘s offer sheet.
They also signed Marvin Bagley III and Alpha Diallo in free agency but lost Tim Hardaway Jr. to the Miami Heat and waived Jonas Valanciunas, who returned to Lithuania and joined Zalgiris.
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