The Cleveland Cavaliers are strong suitors of Jonathan Kuminga, but the two sides have struggled to come to terms.
After missing out on LeBron James — who signed a two-year contract with the Philadelphia 76ers in free agency — the Cavs have turned their attention to Kuminga to buff up their relatively thin wing depth.
Another player who has recently emerged as a potential Cavs target is Denver Nuggets restricted free agent Peyton Watson.. With Watson and the Nuggets at an impasse, the door has swung wide open for the 23-year-old forward to land elsewhere if the franchise chooses to move him.
The Cavaliers Are Showing Interest in Peyton Watson
GettyDENVER, COLORADO – OCTOBER 25: Peyton Watson #8 of the Denver Nuggets plays the Phoenix Suns in the first quarter at Ball Arena on October 25, 2025 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
Watson and Kuminga may both be on the move this summer, but each players’ situation is quite different. Kuminga is waiting on a stronger deal while Watson has already reportedly turned down a $70 million contract offer from the Nuggets.
According to Cavs insider Chris Fedor, Cleveland has remained in pursuit of Kuninga amid interest in Watson. The Cavs’ path to landing Watson is via a sign-and-trade with the Nuggets. But the Cavs’ willingness to package the assets required to land Watson is questionable.
“According to multiple reports, the cap-strapped Denver Nuggets, projected as one of the league’s biggest spenders, have offered Watson a contract worth roughly $70 million over four years,” Fedor wrote for cleveland.com. “The Cavs can’t afford that. No team can, as there isn’t anyone left with available cap space. To this point, Watson hasn’t accepted, with a belief he wants more money, closer to $20-25 million annually. Watson is reportedly weighing whether to accept his one-year, $6.5 million qualifying offer instead, playing out this season and then becoming an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2027.”
But Cleveland certainly has Watson, a first round pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, on its radar. According to ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne, Cavs star James Harden has held off on signing a new deal to allow Cleveland to explore adding Watson.
“I think that could happen relatively soon,” Shelburne said on Harden’s decision to re-sign. “The question is gonna be is it a two year deal, a three year deal, what the structure looks like is gonna determine what the money looks like. But the Cavs are still poking around with Peyton Watson and I think that’s why James has given them a lot of room to negotiate.”
What Denver is Asking for Watson
Let’s just say it’ll take more than a pretty penny for the Cavs to land Watson, who would make a terrific addition after James spurned the team in free agency.
“A source said the Nuggets are looking for a first-round pick and a rotational player in any sign-and-trade involving Watson,” Watson said. “… And, for the Cavs, any player on the current roster whose salary approaches what Watson wants would be someone Cleveland prefers to keep. Do the Cavs want to part with Jarrett Allen? Or Sam Merrill? Or Strus? Or Schroder? Or anyone else? Just to make a roster addition?”
The Cavs have the parts to make a Watson deal work. But whether they view Watson as a player worth surrendering multiple assets for is something we may find out soon.
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