The Los Angeles Lakers and Denver Nuggets have grown into a bit of a rivalry over the past few seasons as the teams have clashed in the playoffs multiple times. Of course, the ultimate goal of both teams is to win a championship and in order to do that a team not only needs stars, but also high-quality role players.
Someone who has emerged into that this year for the Nuggets is Peyton Watson, whom they drafted in 2022 out of UCLA. With the Nuggets dealing with injuries to superstar Nikola Jokic, not to mention other important players like Aaron Gordon and Christian Braun, Watson has stepped up big time to keep them afloat.
But Watson is set to hit free agency for the first time this summer as the fourth-year wing will be a restricted free agent. And according to NBA insider Jake Fischer, the Lakers are expected to have interest in signing him:
It must be said, though, that rival executives are increasingly curious about Denver’s likely struggles to retain Peyton Watson this summer given the fourth-year swingman’s recent breakout play amid all of the Nuggets’ health woes. We’ll certainly be tracking this situation over the coming months, since Watson’s restricted free agency is already shaping up to become a major domino of the offseason.
Sources say teams that are projected to have cap space — notably such as the Lakers — are already preparing interest.
The Lakers having interest makes sense as the team is in the market for two-way wings who can really defend and shoot. Watson has been an excellent defender since he joined the league, but it is his offensive game that has grown as he is averaging more than 14 points per game this season while knocking down 41.1% of his 3-pointers on increased volume.
Watson being a restricted free agent makes things more difficult as the Nuggets would be able to match any offer sheet he signs. But with the Nuggets already already having so much money committed to core players in Jokic, Gordon and Jamal Murray, they may struggle to retain Watson if the Lakers give him a big enough offer sheet.
A Southern California native who attended Long Beach Poly High School and played at UCLA, Watson would be an ideal addition for this Lakers team if they are able to pry him away from the rival Nuggets.
Lakers willing to move Dalton Knecht at trade deadline
The Lakers are also looking to improve their roster ahead of the upcoming NBA trade deadline and the team is reportedly willing to move second-year guard Dalton Knecht in a deal to do so.
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