Following a breakout season, the Denver Nuggets have a high asking price for Peyton Watson in a sign-and-trade to whoever is interested. This reportedly includes two first-round picks, which is understandable, especially when you factor in how young Watson is at just 23 years old.
Regarding the LA Clippers, they have the exact draft capital in stock the Nuggets are looking for in return. However, per Michael Scotto of ‘HoopsHype,’ the Clippers, among everyone else monitoring Watson, have not even offered a single first to Denver. The takeaway from Scotto’s update is that LA values the two-way stud, but not to a ridiculously great extent where they’d be willing to sacrifice their future for him.
Had Watson established himself as a legitimate All-Star in the NBA, surely the Clippers would send coveted picks in the Nuggets’ direction.
The Clippers are playing the race on Peyton Watson correctly
Don’t get me wrong, if everything goes according to plan, Peyton Watson could easily become one of the next young stars in the league. The tools to do it are evident, the numbers back him up, and the fact that Watson made a notable impact when the Denver Nuggets needed him most really stands out.
On the contrary, though, there are still a few uncertainties about the former 30th overall pick.
The first: Watson’s ability to create space in the half-court. We know he can run the floor in transition, but what can the youngster do in isolation with the eyes of the defense on him?
From the film Watson produced this past season, a lot of the buckets he scored took place with a hand from the defense right in his grill. While he still made the shot, what matters more for a player on the rise is how, and with him, things did not look easy.
Peyton Watson self-creation leap pic.twitter.com/6oKZwf5eIr
— Brett Usher (@UsherNBA) January 23, 2026
And, second: Watson only suited up for 54 games last season. Why? Well, he suffered a hamstring injury early Feb., returned after nearly a month and a half, played just four games before not suiting up again for the rest of the year due to the same designation.
With these two key factors about Watson’s breakout season in mind, it’s pretty clear why the Clippers are not caving to the Nuggets’ wants, even the slightest. The most they might be willing to give is a player like Derrick Jones Jr. or Kris Dunn.
This is the correct way for the Clippers to approach the sign-and-trade process with Denver.
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