The Denver Nuggets were stuck in a stalemate with Peyton Watson. Watson wanted more money from Denver than they were willing to pay him. For that reason, the Nuggets decided to trade him to the Cavaliers, giving up a solid forward.
Watson thought he deserved something along the lines of what Christian Braun got from the team. While the trade was widely panned, John Hollinger of The Athletic likes the trade for a very specific financial reason.
Nuggets Trading Peyton Watson Gets Praised
Hollinger believes that it was a good move to trade Watson so that they have some hope of getting out of the second apron of the luxury tax.
“But given the hole the Nuggets dug, this was absolutely the move. Watson is a speculative play based on a small sample of quality. Paying him $22 million a year is a much better gamble for a team in Cleveland’s position than it was for the Nuggets, and returning an unprotected 2031 draft pick is a massive coup that can help Denver deal for more reliable upgrades around the amazing Nikola Jokić,” Hollinger writes.
Hollinger doesn’t think that the move was necessarily the right one for the basketball construction of the team. However, it’s the only chance that they have to possibly stay out of the second apron, which would further hamstring them if they are a repeat second apron offender.
Watson was a solid 3-point shooter, hitting over 41 percent from beyond the 3-point arc. However, he did so while playing just 54 games. That lack of availability is likely a big reason why they balked at paying him such a high price to stay in the second apron.
The Nuggets still have some problems with the cap sheet. It won’t be easy for them to get out of the second apron unless they make some deadline deals. They would need to get an expiring contract to help them with that.
Denver Needs to Have Health Prioritized Over Everything
In the last couple of seasons, the Nuggets have failed to stay healthy in the postseason. That will be the key to making a run to win the Western Conference. Aaron Gordon has only been healthy for one postseason run since he’s been in Denver, and that netted the team a title.
The Nuggets had the best offense in the league last year. Keeping that offense operating at a high level will be necessary in order to catch the Thunder and the Spurs. Those are the top two teams in the West, even after an offseason where neither team made a major move.
If Denver can stay healthy, they have as good a shot as anyone to make the NBA Finals. That is easier said than done, as Gordon, Jamal Murray, and Cameron Johnson have all struggled with injuries in the last few seasons. Keeping them on the court should be their highest priority.
Nuggets Trade of Peyton Watson Praised for Huge Financial Reason