Peyton Watson has been a critical and unique part of the Nuggets’ bench since being drafted in 2022. But as important as he has been to the team, he hasn’t carved out a consistent role in the rotation. He saw his minutes juggled around by Michael Malone and was more out than in once the playoffs started.
He’s a great luxury to have, but ultimately, when rubber hits the road, he may get squeezed out of the team’s budget. The team is doing well financially now, but that’s about to change as extensions kick in over the next couple of years.
On top of that, Christian Braun is extension-eligible this month, and Nikola Jokic is expected to sign a supermax extension next summer. The team is going to get extremely expensive extremely fast, and given the history of the Kroenkes, it seems unlikely that the Nuggets’ owners will be paying a high luxury tax bill year after year.
Watson extension likely means Braun is gone
That means inevitable financial crunches are coming somewhere, and it may be in the form of Peyton Watson and his upcoming extension. He’s due this month just like Braun, but should take a lower priority as Braun has established himself as a valuable starter for the squad.
Tough decisions are going to have to be made, and Watson may be the odd man out. There’s a chance that the only way Watson gets extended is if the Nuggets aren’t able to get a deal done with Braun.
That would be a disastrous scenario, and one that Denver should do its best to avoid. However, if things do go wrong with Braun, they must quickly pivot and complete a deal with Watson. Sure, there is a chance that the team is able to get both deals done, but with all of the money due over the next few years, it feels unlikely.
Sadly, it may come down to one or the other between the 2022 first-round picks, and Braun is clearly the preferred choice. So, as much as Nuggets fans would like to see Watson stay in Denver and continue growing his game, a long-term return would probably mean losing Braun, which would be a huge blow to a contending team.
Watson’s skillset is helpful, but his game hasn’t fully matured in a way that he can be relied on every night. For a team whose only goal is winning it all, that’s not a perfect situation for a player who still needs to develop and play through growing pains.