Hawks, Clippers Weigh Costly Sign-and-Trade for Nuggets Restricted Free Agent Peyton Watson
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The Los Angeles Clippers continue to monitor Peyton Watson’s free agency, and the Atlanta Hawks have recently entered the mix, reporter Jake Fischer of The Stein Line said.
Watson, a 23-year-old restricted free agent forward, is believed to be seeking an annual salary exceeding $25 million. Because neither the Clippers nor the Hawks possess sufficient cap space, both clubs would need to acquire him through a sign-and-trade arrangement.
League sources told Fischer that Denver wants a return comparable to what Utah received from the Lakers for Walker Kessler—two first-round picks and two first-round swaps—while also avoiding incoming salary. Accepting contracts in a Watson deal would hard-cap the Nuggets at the second tax apron, complicating roster construction.
Los Angeles could, in theory, fold a Watson sign-and-trade into its proposed Kawhi Leonard deal with Toronto. Leonard’s outgoing salary could create room to start Watson at roughly $23.1 million, according to cap analyst Yossi Gozlan. With the Leonard trade currently paused, the Clippers have time to study that option.
Atlanta lacks a similar pathway. Without a sizable trade exception or pending transaction, the Hawks would likely need to send out contracts such as Corey Kispert and Buddy Hield to balance salaries—players Denver is not expected to covet.
If the Nuggets’ price remains unchanged, the Clippers are expected to redirect their efforts toward re-signing their own restricted free agent, Bennedict Mathurin, Fischer added.
The Brooklyn Nets are the lone team with enough cap room to extend Watson an offer sheet outright, yet they have shown little inclination to approach the $25 million-plus range while they examine ways to utilize cap space before finalizing a multi-team Julius Randle trade.
Source: Hoops Rumors
