Let’s start by saying, it’s a long shot. A really, really long shot. But there is no question that the Los Angeles Lakers had interest in Nuggets forward Peyton Watson as a restricted free agent this summer after Watson’s breakout season in which he averaged 14.6 points and 4.9 rebounds, with 41.1% 3-point shooting.
The problem for Watson is that he was down on the list of Lakers targets. If L.A. was going to make a forceful pitch for a restricted free agent, it was going to be a big man, and ultimately, that’s just how things played out this summer. The Lakers made an aggressive trade offer–two first-round picks plus two swaps–to the Utah Jazz to get them to trade the rights to center Walker Kessler. Once that was done, the Lakers were essentially out of draft assets, and could not make a strong pitch for another.
Watson, for his part, has been languishing in restricted free agency since, with rumors cropping up about interest from the Nets (already extinguished) and the Clippers (TBD). The Nuggets own his rights, and can match any offer–with rumors suggesting that it will take two first-round picks, as with Kessler, to get Watson out of Denver.
Lakers’ Rob Pelinka Chats Up Peyton Watson
The Lakers would love to have Watson–they still need a long, athletic wing–but don’t have the chops to match what the Nuggets would want. That did not stop eyebrows from being raised and interest being piqued when Watson entered the building this weekend at the Thomas and Mack center in Las Vegas–and stopped for an embrace and a lengthy chat with Lakers honcho Rob Pelinka.
The Lakers fan site Lakers Nation wrote on Twitter/X, “What do you think Rob Pelinka and Peyton Watson were talking about?”
As Lakers analyst Anthony Irwin noted on social media, “Rob Pelinka was in rare form, talking to any number of people. Peyton Watson was one of the people that obviously got a lot of rumbles, like, ‘What’s Rob Pelinka doing there?’ Peyton Watson spent a lot of time talking to a lot of the Lakers who were there.”
Focus Still on Jonathan Kuminga
The Lakers are progressing in their offseason, though, with eyes on adding more help at the forward spot this summer. Jonathan Kuminga has been the primary focus, with a potential sign-and-trade deal lining up with Atlanta.
Kuminga is a step down from Watson, though it should be pointed out that many around the league are concerned about the hamstring issues that led to Watson going out and February and eventually having his season shut down after a failed attempt at a return.
The Lakers have few options outside those two, with bargain wings like Ziaire Williams and Ochai Agbaji still on the market. A PJ Washington trade might be an ideal fit, too, but the Lakers might not have the assets to pull off a deal liek that.
Lakers GM Rob Pelinka’s Interaction With Top Free Agent Turns Heads