One of the teams reportedly in the race for Peyton Watson, along with the LA Clippers, is the Cleveland Cavaliers. They just made the Eastern Conference Finals and, as one might expect, are hungry to return next season and extend their run to the NBA Finals.
As a result, the Cavaliers’ front office created a bit of space ($6.8 million in savings) by trading Dennis Schröder and cash considerations to the Charlotte Hornets for a former first-round pick, Tre Mann, which helps their pursuit of Watson. This should worry the Clippers' front office, as they, too, desperately need what the 23-year-old has to offer on both ends of the court.
Additionally, for what it’s worth, James Harden, who is currently a free agent but likely plans to re-sign with Cleveland, seems to be waiting on the Cavaliers to make a move for a player like Watson.
Peyton Watson may soon be a Cavalier, and there’s nothing the Clippers can do
With a hole at the small forward spot, Peyton Watson fits in the Cleveland Cavaliers’ system fairly well. He brings a strong defensive presence that could be useful in lineups with Donovan Mitchell, and on the offensive end, a floor general like James Harden will maximize his abilities.
Head coach Kenny Atkinson may even help Watson break out even more after a strong fourth year in the NBA, averaging 14.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 2.1 assists while shooting 49.1% from the field.
Watson is also just 23 years old, making him a perfect addition to the core of Mitchell, Jarrett Allen, Evan Mobley, Tre Mann, and recently drafted guard Maleek Thomas.
The Cavaliers’ front office is certainly aware of the facts and how Watson could help their squad for the foreseeable future, which explains their strong pursuit and recent move to shed a bit of salary.
Regarding the LA Clippers, there’s not really anything they can do, at the moment, to push strongly for Watson.
Their hands are tied with the alleged cap circumvention investigation of Kawhi Leonard, which has essentially held up a chunk of the Clippers’ offseason. Until that’s resolved, the sign-and-trade scenario for Watson that the fanbase is highly anticipating doesn’t seem likely to come to fruition.
The only hope is that Watson’s primary preference is to come back home to LA. If that’s the case, the only hurdle in the way is the NBA’s investigation into Leonard.
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