The Nuggets have been getting by without Aaron Gordon and Christian Braun for the last few weeks, and on Monday, they lost Peyton Watson to a trunk contusion early in the game. But, there was finally a positive update as P-Wat is listed as questionable for Thursday night’s game against the Magic.
Questionable obviously doesn’t guarantee that Watson will play on Thursday, but it’s extremely promising that there’s even a chance he won’t miss a game. When Braun and AG went down, they were quickly ruled out for weeks with no clear date for a reevaluation in sight.
So, the idea that Watson may be available this quickly is exciting and great news for the Nuggets. Another long-term injury, especially to another athletic, defensive-minded wing player, would have been extremely tough to overcome.
Watson has been filling in the starting lineup with the other injuries and has done a great job of picking up the slack on both ends. The Nuggets badly need him, and it’s a great opportunity for the player to prove his worth, so hopefully, he won’t miss much time - if any.
Big opportunity for Watson in contract year
As big as this is for Denver, it’s also huge for Watson. The Nuggets famously chose not to extend him in the offseason, so he’s set to hit restricted free agency once this season ends. It has become increasingly clear that the Nuggets’ ownership doesn’t want to pay the luxury tax, and they definitely don’t want to be flying over the different aprons.
That means cost-cutting moves may be ahead, but it almost certainly means they won’t have much to offer Watson beyond maybe the midlevel exception (if even). But Watson is having a strong year, and at age 23, with his skill set, he will likely be seeking a much bigger deal.
If he keeps up his strong play, there’s reason to believe he could show enough that another team may offer him a big deal in free agency and bring him in to be a bigger part of their team. Watson is proving he’s capable of being a starter on a good team as we speak, and he has shown enough promise to believe he has potential to do more.
Teams will have cap space this summer, and young, two-way wings are always in high demand. Unfortunately, the more Watson keeps playing well this season, the more likely it is that he’ll be playing with another team next season.