ESPN gives Nuggets near failing grade for Peyton Watson trade

The Denver Nuggets shook up the NBA world on Wednesday night when they traded Peyton Watson in a multi-team deal.

Watson landed in Cleveland, where he signed a new contract with the Cavaliers worth $88 million over the next four seasons.

And in return, the Nuggets received two draft picks. A first-rounder in 2031 and a second-rounder in 2032. That was it for Peyton Watson, who some view as a rising star in the NBA.

But as Denver operates in the second apron, this looks like the cheap way out. Rather than retaining their own young talent, the Nuggets ownership and front office appears worried about the luxury tax bill.

Social media was not kind to the Nuggets after the trade, and neither was ESPN’s Zach Kram who gave Denver a near failing grade for the move. He ultimately assigned the Nuggets a “D.”

“Letting (Peyton Watson) walk is a bitter pill to swallow for a Denver team that needed his youth and upside. The Nuggets just lost a key player, but they’re a win-now team, with their top four players all entering their late primes: Nikola Jokic and Aaron Gordon will be 31 years old next season, Cameron Johnson will be 30 and Jamal Murray will be 29,” Kram wrote.

The Nuggets looked old and slow in a stunning first-round series loss to the Timberwolves this past season. Watson didn’t play in those six games and it was clear Denver missed his length, athleticism, bounce and defensive presence.

That’s something Kram also pointed out in his assessment.

“Losing Peyton Watson means the Nuggets don’t get to reap the long-term rewards of developing him from a raw reserve into a bona fide contributor. Amid a host of failed draft picks in the 25-40 range over the last half-decade — Jalen Pickett, Julian Strawther, Hunter Tyson, Bones Hyland — Watson was the one standout, and Denver clearly missed his two-way ability in its shocking playoff loss to the injury-ravaged Minnesota Timberwolves last spring,” Kram wrote.

The championship window might still be cracked open. Denver continues to employ Nikola Jokic, who’s under contract for next season. Anything is possible with the three-time NBA MVP on the roster.

But there’s no doubt the Nuggets are a worse team now than they were a few months ago. And that squad wasn’t even good enough to win a single playoff series, with health clearly a factor as well.

For now, fans are waiting for the next move that will hopefully make them feel better after losing Peyton Watson for a couple of draft picks.

To see ESPN’s full grades on the trade, click here.

Related

Nuggets cheap out, ship Peyton Watson to ClevelandAltitude unveils new Nuggets broadcast teamCU Buffs’ Pac-12 champion joins Nuggets coaching staff10 must-see games of the Denver Nuggets 2026-27 seasonNuggets’ 2026-27 schedule: Denver opens and closes vs. OKC, draws 28 national TV gamesRussell Westbrook retires: A Nuggets villain turned teammate, and the triple-double king Jokic is chasing