Nuggets wing Peyton Watson is out for at least four weeks with a right knee injury, the team announced Monday morning.
Watson, 22, sprained his knee during a collision late in the fourth quarter against Philadelphia on Friday. He traveled with the team to Charlotte for the last game of its road trip but did not play, as the Nuggets planned to reevaluate him after returning to Denver. Their win over the Hornets on Saturday was the first game he has missed all season.
Now the Nuggets will have to fend without Watson for a minimum of 12 more games, based on their new reevaluation timeline. Zeke Nnaji filled his spot in the rotation against Charlotte, but 2023 second-round draft pick Hunter Tyson is another option Michael Malone has turned to this season when he needs additional depth.
As one of Denver’s eight consistent rotation players, Watson is averaging 8.1 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game in his third NBA season. He ranks 13th in the league in total blocks despite playing limited minutes off the bench. At 6-foot-7, he has emerged as one of the best rim-protecting wings in the NBA.
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