One of the teams seriously in the race for arguably the top wing on the market, Peyton Watson, outside the LA Clippers, is the Atlanta Hawks. Similarly to LA, Atlanta has a strong young core and believes Watson has the tools to make them even better on both ends of the court.
However, because they were involved in a three-team trade with the Dallas Mavericks and Oklahoma City Thunder and added Luguentz Dort and Ryan Nembhard, their chances of landing Watson certainly dwindled, in some way, shape, or form, in terms of roster spots and cap space, which indirectly helps the Clippers.
And, on top of that, the Hawks’ starting lineup is pretty much filled out, particularly in the frontcourt, with Dyson Daniels, Jalen Johnson, and Onyeka Okongwu. This leaves no space for Watson to fit in and reach the level of stardom he’s destined for.
That said, the ripple effect of the Hawks' acquisition of Dort and Nembhard has the type of impact LA was hoping for.
The Clippers couldn’t be any happier that the Hawks may be out on Peyton Watson
When reports surfaced that the Atlanta Hawks were in on the sweepstakes for Peyton Watson, the LA Clippers’ front office had to have been scared. Why? Well, not only is Atlanta being in the race one more threat for the Clippers to worry about, but they’re also the ideal situation for Watson.
In Atlanta, Watson would get a seasoned head coach who would run plays for him, an All-Star complement in Jalen Johnson, who is superstar-bound, and a system that would do its absolute best to maximize his abilities.
Each of these characteristics would put Watson in an excellent spot to take that next step in his career, which he made obvious he’s ready for through his most recent season for the Denver Nuggets.
But, despite how good of a destination they would be for Watson, it may no longer matter as Watson might be off their radar following the trade for Luguentz Dort and Ryan Nembhard. This surely has the Clippers smiling from ear to ear.
Moving forward, the only other team the Clippers should fear, aside from the Nuggets, who have an advantage given Watson is a restricted free agent, is the Milwaukee Bucks.
They, too, are a great fit for the 23-year-old, and have essentially everything he would need to break out for the second time in his young career.
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