Nikola Jokic stated the Denver Nuggets will miss Peyton Watson after the younger ahead was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers, whereas expressing help for his former teammate’s subsequent alternative.
“I’m completely satisfied for Peyton, he deserved it, we are going to miss his power and talent,” Jokic stated after pleasant recreation between Serbia and France, by way of Miroslav Cuk. “I don’t take into consideration season but, now we have to play this, nevertheless it’s gonna be OK.”
Watson was moved to Cleveland on August 20 as a part of a five-team transaction after spending his first 4 NBA seasons with Denver. The Nuggets obtained a 2031 unprotected first-round decide, a 2032 second-round decide by way of Sacramento and two-way ahead Julian Reese within the deal.
The commerce ends a major developmental run for Watson, who grew to become an more and more necessary a part of Denver’s rotation after being chosen within the 2022 NBA Draft. His function expanded from 8.1 minutes per recreation as a rookie to 29.6 minutes per recreation throughout 54 appearances in the course of the 2025-26 season.
Watson produced profession highs of 14.6 factors, 4.9 rebounds and a pair of.1 assists per recreation final season whereas taking pictures 49.1% from the sphere and 41.1% from three-point vary. He began 40 video games and posted a .560 efficient field-goal proportion, a considerable enhance from the 8.1 factors he averaged in 2024-25.
His taking pictures growth was notably notable. Watson averaged 1.5 made three-pointers on 3.6 makes an attempt per recreation in 2025-26 after taking pictures 35.3% from deep the earlier season, giving Denver one other dependable perimeter possibility alongside Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray.
Watson additionally offered dimension and defensive versatility on the wing, recording 0.9 steals and 1.1 blocks per recreation final season. His departure removes a 23-year-old participant who had developed into a daily starter for a Nuggets staff that completed 54-28, third within the Western Convention.
Denver’s 2025-26 season ended with a 4-2 first-round playoff loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
For Cleveland, Watson provides one other younger wing to a roster that completed 52-30 and reached the Jap Convention finals earlier than being swept by the eventual NBA champion New York Knicks.
