The Los Angeles Lakers have received fresh clarity on the trade market for one of the young forwards they previously coveted, but the latest development also reinforces the steep challenge they face in adding another impact player this offseason.
Appearing on NBA Today on Tuesday, ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania reported that the Denver Nuggets have lowered their asking price in potential sign-and-trade talks involving Peyton Watson after contract negotiations between the two sides stalled. While the revised price is less demanding than Denver’s original stance, it remains well beyond what the Lakers can realistically offer as they continue exploring ways to acquire Jonathan Kuminga.
“The dreaded second apron is 100% impacting the Denver Nuggets and their conversations with restricted free agent Peyton Watson because they have not been able to land an agreement on a deal,” Charania said.
Watson is reportedly seeking a deal comparable to Christian Braun’s five-year, $125 million contract extension last summer.
Charania added that Watson and his representatives have begun seeking sign-and-trade opportunities, with the Milwaukee Bucks, Atlanta Hawks and Los Angeles Clippers emerging as the leading suitors.
Perhaps the biggest revelation, however, was Denver’s reduced asking price.
Earlier this offseason, the Nuggets were seeking a return comparable to the Walker Kessler trade package — two first-round picks and two pick swaps, NBA insider Jake Fischer reported in The Stein Line. Charania said Denver has since lowered its demand to “a really good high-level player as well as a first-round pick.”
That remains a significant asking price, even after the reduction.
Lakers Lack Assets for Another Blockbuster
The update is particularly relevant because the Lakers had previously been linked to Watson as a versatile, defensive-minded wing with long-term upside.
Any renewed pursuit, however, appears unlikely.
After parting with unprotected first-round picks in 2031 and 2033 and first-round swaps in 2028 and 2030 to acquire Walker Kessler from the Utah Jazz, then signing the center to a four-year, $130 million contract, Los Angeles significantly depleted its draft capital.
The Lakers later recouped Jaden Hardy and two second-round picks from the Washington Wizards in the Deandre Ayton trade, but they still control only a 2032 first-round swap and three future second-round selections.
That falls well short of Denver’s reported asking price of a high-level player and a first-round pick, effectively taking the Lakers out of the Watson sweepstakes unless the Nuggets substantially lower their demands.
Watson Market Offers Kuminga Perspective
GettyJonathan Kuminga remains one of the Lakers’ top offseason targets, though a sign-and-trade with the Atlanta Hawks remains far apart.
Watson’s situation also provides a useful benchmark for the Lakers’ pursuit of Kuminga.
Unlike Watson, Kuminga is an unrestricted free agent after the Atlanta Hawks declined his $24.3 million team option. But because the Lakers do not have the salary cap space to sign Kuminga outright to meet his salary demand, any realistic path to Los Angeles still requires a sign-and-trade that gives Atlanta enough incentive to cooperate.
According to The Athletic, Kuminga is seeking an annual salary in the $20 million to $23 million range, slightly below Watson’s reported asking price of roughly $25 million per year.
Denver’s revised valuation for Watson also illustrates how expensive the market remains for young, high-upside wings.
Even after reducing its demands from a Walker Kessler-type package of two first-round picks and two pick swaps, the Nuggets are still seeking what Charania described as “a really good high-level player” and a first-round pick.
That reality presents another obstacle for Lakers president Rob Pelinka.
Los Angeles has remained interested in adding another athletic two-way forward alongside Luka Dončić, Austin Reaves, Walker Kessler and Quentin Grimes, but its aggressive offseason has left the franchise with limited flexibility to win bidding wars.
As training camp approaches, Pelinka’s front office continues evaluating avenues to improve the roster. Yet Charania’s latest report serves as another reminder that acquiring young, ascending talent remains an expensive proposition—even when a team’s asking price comes down.
For the Lakers, the Watson update may not reopen a previous pursuit. Instead, it offers a clearer picture of the trade landscape as the organization continues searching for a path to land Kuminga without the draft capital typically required to complete a blockbuster deal.
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