The Nuggets had some tough decisions to make in the offseason, with the last one coming down to negotiating rookie extensions. With a financial crunch coming, Denver decided they could only extend one of Peyton Watson or Christian Braun, and they opted to pay the more proven and established Braun.
That means Watson entered this season in the final year of his current deal, slated to hit restricted free agency this summer. The Nuggets will have matching rights, but given their salary cap situation, it will almost surely require some major cost-cutting maneuvers to be able to carve out a respectable deal for P-Wat.
The logic made sense in the moment. Braun became a full-time starter last season and played very well, nudging his way into the Most Improved Player conversation, while Watson was inconsistent and struggled to stay in Michael Malone’s rotation.
But this season, things have swung wildly in the other direction. The freshly extended Braun got off to a slow start and has struggled, especially on offense. He suffered an ankle injury a few weeks into the season and is just returning to the lineup, still looking very rusty.
Watson, on the other hand, has been one of the team’s most critical players this season, taking a major leap on the offensive end, being reliable and available, and helping the team make its way through an early-season gauntlet between a tough schedule and countless injuries.
Watson’s play is pricing him out of Denver
Along with his great defense, Watson is averaging 12.7 points and 4.7 rebounds per game, while shooting over 50% from the field and almost 40% on threes. He has become a real difference-maker on both ends, as he showed on Wednesday night, erupting for 30 points in a huge road win over the Celtics.
Watson’s play has been a major saving grace for the Nuggets, and it has been awesome to watch him grow into his role and truly find his comfort zone out there. He looks like a budding star with a great combination of size, skills, and athleticism that Denver desperately needs.
The problem, of course, is that Watson’s stellar play has been on display for the entire NBA to see. Plenty of teams are going to have cap space this offseason, and you’d have to imagine there are going to be some teams lining up to pay the 23-year-old.
It’s an impossible situation for the Nuggets. Obviously, they want to win a title this year, and they are going to need Watson to contribute. The better he plays, the better their chances of reaching their goals this season. At the same time, the better he plays, the more his eventual price tag goes up, and the less likely he is to continue his career with the Nuggets beyond this season.