The Denver Nuggets have made their priority clear.
They want Peyton Watson back.
Whether they can keep one of the NBA’s most promising young forwards without another team forcing their hand has become one of the franchise’s defining offseason storylines.
According to NBA insider Jake Fischer, the Los Angeles Clippers remain the biggest obstacle standing between Denver and a long-term agreement with Watson, whose restricted free agency remains unresolved weeks into the offseason.
Speaking on Bleacher Report’s livestream Monday, Fischer called Watson “the most interesting restricted free agent on the board,” citing an ongoing gap between the Nuggets and Klutch Sports over the 23-year-old’s market value.
“There is a bit of a gap, to my understanding, between Denver and his representation with Klutch Sports,” Fischer said.
While negotiations continue, Fischer said one team has consistently stood out as Denver’s biggest concern.
“The Clippers loom as a real threat here.”
Why the Clippers Haven’t Gone Away
At first glance, Los Angeles appeared to lose much of its financial flexibility after agreeing to sign Rui Hachimura.
But Fischer said multiple league sources told him Monday that the Clippers have not abandoned their pursuit of Watson.
“I was told today from multiple sources with knowledge of the situation that the Clippers are not discounting themselves as still a real Peyton Watson suitor,” Fischer said.
“They are the one team that Denver has been worried about.”
Fischer noted that while the Brooklyn Nets possess greater cap space, he has never heard Brooklyn emerge as a serious Watson destination.
Instead, he believes the restricted free-agent battle has effectively become a two-team race.
“To me, this seems like a Clippers or Nuggets situation.”
Salary cap analyst Yossi Gozlan also outlined a possible path for Los Angeles.
According to Gozlan, the Clippers could construct a sign-and-trade by incorporating Watson into the John Collins transaction with the Detroit Pistons, allowing them to offer Watson a starting salary in the neighborhood of $25 million while maintaining additional spending flexibility elsewhere on the roster.
They could use the bi-annual exception, sign Rui Hachimura with the mid-level exception, and re-sign Bennedict Mathurin with his Bird rights.
The Numbers Remain the Biggest Obstacle
Fischer reported that the primary hurdle isn’t Watson’s desire to remain in Denver.
It’s agreeing on his value.
According to Fischer, Watson’s camp has viewed Christian Braun‘s five-year, $125 million extension as an early benchmark during negotiations, even if that contract has become a less favorable comparison after Braun’s injury-plagued campaign.
Denver, meanwhile, appears comfortable matching almost any offer it considers reasonable.
“I think for them that’s anything $30 million [annually] or below,” Fischer said.
That framework leaves room for optimism that the two sides can eventually find common ground.
Nuggets Forward Wants to Stay in Denver
Perhaps the most encouraging development for Denver is that Watson reportedly has no interest in forcing his way elsewhere.
Fischer said he spent time with Watson before last season’s trade deadline and came away convinced the young forward sees his future in Denver.
“Peyton Watson wants to be in Denver,” Fischer said. “Denver wants him to stick around. It’s just a matter of figuring out a number that makes sense.”
Watson has earned that payday.
Before a hamstring injury interrupted his breakout campaign, he averaged 14.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.1 blocks while emerging as one of Denver’s most versatile two-way players.
When Nikola Jokić missed time late in the season with a hyperextended knee, Watson elevated his game even further, averaging 22.5 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.4 blocks over a 17-game stretch while helping keep the Nuggets near the top of the Western Conference standings.
Fischer described Watson as “a legitimate creator off of Jokić,” underscoring why Denver views him as a cornerstone of its future rather than simply another young rotation player.
Jokić’s Commitment to Nuggets Raises the Stakes
Nikola Jokić’s announcement Monday that he intends to sign a new contract next summer and spend the rest of his career in Denver only amplifies the importance of the Watson negotiations.
With their three-time MVP publicly reaffirming his commitment to the franchise, the Nuggets can now focus entirely on maximizing their championship window around him.
Keeping Watson has become a central part of that plan.
The question is no longer whether Denver wants him back.
It’s whether the Clippers can make the price high enough to test just how far the Nuggets are willing to go to keep one of Jokić’s most important young teammates.
Nuggets Get Concerning Peyton Watson Update Amid Rival Threat