It appears that the Cleveland Cavaliers could move on quickly from missing out on the LeBron James sweepstakes. The franchise had been positioned as a strong landing spot before the veteran superstar chose to sign with the Philadelphia 76ers.
Now, the Cavs are back to square one, looking for a wing addition whether young or veteran. The front-office interest has reportedly shifted toward several available names, some of which have been previously linked to Cleveland.
According to Cavs insider Chris Fedor, there is a decent list of possible options for the Cavaliers and they are willing to explore them.
“What’s available right now in free agency is not very appealing, but there is DeMar DeRozan, there is Jonathan Kuminga and there is Peyton Watson. They have interest in all three, including Peyton Watson. Two of the three become a little bit more complicated,” said Chris Fedor. “With Jonathan Kuminga and Peyton Watson, it’s very, very different from the Cavs’ perspective and I think both are really, really complicated for a variety of reasons.”
Watson’s name has been in and around the open market, but nothing has gained serious traction, particularly with the Denver Nuggets. The franchise doesn’t want to lose him at all or at least for free.
Cavaliers Interested in Rising Superstar to Pair With Donovan Mitchell
GettySAN ANTONIO, TEXAS – DECEMBER 29: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers looks on during the game against the San Antonio Spurs at Frost Bank Center on December 29, 2025 in San Antonio, Texas. (Photo by Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images)
Watson is a restricted free agent and the Nuggets activated a qualifying offer to match any deal he receives on the free agency market. However, a new deal for the young wing is stuck in a familiar restricted-free-agency standoff.
Watson’s camp is seeking a higher deal, reportedly around the $25 million average annual value teammate Christian Braun received on his extension last year. Denver’s valuation has been lower than that.
The Nuggets could only have themselves to blame at this point as they are in a tight cap situation following Braun’s deal. After 2025-26, suddenly giving up a significant deal to over three players doesn’t look like a good idea after all. Now, they want to retain Watson who is demanding to become the fifth significant earner to stay.
At this point, it doesn’t look as though any team would be willing to take on Braun’s deal which leaves moving Watson a possibility. The Cavs could take him but can only create space through a sign-and-trade. This scenario gives the Nuggets some returns for moving a high-upside star.
Cleveland reportedly has both Max Struss and Dennis Schroder on their trade list for this offseason. However, the Nuggets may not be open to taking those pieces for flexibility, which may prompt the inclusion of another team or teams.
In the case of a multi-team deal, any serious pursuit of Watson could involve moving a significant piece such as Jarrett Allen who could be rerouted to another team in exchange for less significant picks and valuable draft assets for Denver.
Cleveland to Pivot Missing Out on LeBron James
Watson would not bring the veteran experience and impact that James could have added for the Cavaliers. However, he offers a long-term impact and a chance to grow alongside a core of Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley and James Harden.
Watson showed his potential in the past season, earning decent starting minutes and contributing to the Nuggets’ game. Such promise is why the franchise wants to keep him in Denver beyond his expired deal.
The Cavs are looking to build off a conference finals appearance and while Watson hasn’t accumulated serious playoff experience, he could be a perfect mix to that more experienced core.
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