What the Nuggets are telling trade suitors for breakout star
The Denver Nuggets they managed to take place over a period of several weeks the absence of superstar Nikola Jokić, he is currently 29-13 heading into Sunday night’s game against the Charlotte Hornets. One of the big reasons Denver didn’t fail was played by Peyton Watsona young wing who has emerged as a legitimate offensive weapon after long being known as a defense-first player.
The Nuggets’ penchant for letting key players go in free agency has led some teams to wonder if they might be open to trading Watson this year so they don’t have to pay him in restricted free agency this summer, but recently Hoopshape’s Michael Scotto reported that shot down this speculation.
“Watson has drawn significant interest on the trade market, but the Nuggets have declined trade calls for the 23-year-old swingman and want to re-sign him in restricted free agency this summer, league sources told HoopsHipe,” Scotto reported.
Overall, Watson has significantly improved his outside jumper this year, as well as his ability to put the ball on the floor and create his own offense, which has helped the Nuggets get some good looks in the last few weeks since Jokic has been sidelined with a knee injury.
All of this has happened while his defense remains elite on the other end of the floor, making Watson exactly the type of two-way wing that every team seems to be looking for in the current NBA landscape.
It remains to be seen how Watson will adjust his game once Jokic returns to the floor, but after Bruce Brown and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope let off back-to-back offseasons following their 2023 championship, it appears Nuggets owners are finally ready to open their wallets once the summer of 2026 rolls around.
The Nuggets and Hornets are scheduled to tip off on Sunday at 8:00 PM ET.
2026-01-18 17:29:00
