Peyton Watson was a dream target for the Los Angeles Lakers entering the offseason, but they ended up snagging restricted free agent Walker Kessler instead in a sign-and-trade with the Jazz. They're still looking for a starting wing, but they have their eye on Jonathan Kuminga, a more affordable option. Although the Nuggets wing won't end up in LA (barring a miracle), the team can still reap the benefits of how his RFA plays out.
The Clippers, Hawks, and Bucks have all registered interest in Watson. If he does leave Denver in a sign-and-trade, the preferred outcome, of course, wouldn't be to that other team in Los Angeles. If the real LA had to pick, it'd be between Atlanta and Milwaukee, getting him out of the West entirely.
Not having to deal with Watson for years to come on the Nuggets wouldn't be nearly as nice as having him on the Lakers, but hey, it'd be good enough.
Peyton Watson's free agency can play in Lakers' favor
Denver does want to keep the 22-year-old, though, as Tony Jones of The Athletic reported on Friday (subscription required) that the Nuggets "feel they are in a good spot to retain his services."
It's worth wondering how Watson feels about all this, as Denver clearly hasn't made him the offer he and his camp believe he deserves (and he is reportedly seeking more than the $25 million annual average value the Nuggets gave Christian Braun last year); otherwise, there would be a deal in place.
What does that mean for his relationship with the Nuggets? Will there be any lingering resentment, even if he does stay in Denver? Could it ultimately lead to a breakup down the road, sort of like how things played out between Jonathan Kuminga and Golden State?
The Lakers can only hope so, and that would be even more so the case if any Nuggets resentment leads him to LA's doors sometime in the future. Things do have a way of working out like that, at least for Los Angeles.
Let's not get too far ahead of ourselves, at least not yet. Watson still has a deal to sign this offseason, whether that be with Denver or another team. The longer this drags on, the messier it could get for the Nuggets, and that's music to the Lakers' ears.
No P-Wat would throw a wrench in Denver's mission of trying to win another title with Nikola Jokić, and that could eliminate the Nuggets from one of the teams the Lakers will have to get by to win a championship of their own with Luka Dončić.
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