Peyton Watson has unexpectedly emerged as one of the breakout stars of the 2025-26 season. With the Denver Nuggets down almost every starter, Watson has taken a colossal step forward that may have inadvertently opened a door for the Los Angeles Lakers.
With Watson mere months away from entering restricted free agency, the Nuggets will soon need to decide which contracts are worth keeping—and Christian Braun could thus become a realistic Lakers target.
Watson has played like a star since New Year's Eve, averaging 23.1 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.4 blocks, 1.3 steals, and 2.5 three-point field goals made per game on .505/.457/.734 shooting. Considering he'll soon be a restricted free agent, the Lakers would be wise to test the waters this coming summer.
For as necessary as it is for Los Angeles to monitor Watson's upcoming period of free agency, they must pay just as much attention to Braun.
Denver will be paying five different players at least $21.5 million in 2026-27, as well as two more than $50.1 million. That certainly complicates matters, as re-signing Watson could force the Nuggets to hand out yet another salary starting in the range of $20 million per season—and thus incur the wrath of the second apron.
Though it's entirely possible that Denver will simply re-sign Watson, the Lakers would be wise to explore a potential trade for Braun this coming summer if the Nuggets opt to shed long-term salary.
Peyton Watson's emergence opens door for Lakers to trade for Christian Braun
Braun signed a five-year, $125 million extension with the Nuggets that's set to take hold in 2026-27. He'll make an average of $25 million per season, which most have argued is a fair figure considering his emergence as one of the better two-way wings in the NBA.
For a Lakers team in dire need of two-way players along the wings, that makes Braun the perfect trade target—assuming they can meet Denver's thus far unknown demands.
Braun, 24, is a 6'6" and 220-pound wing who finished the 2024-25 season with averages of 15.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.1 steals, and 1.1 three-point field goals made on .580/.397/.827 shooting. Beyond the numbers, he emerged as a legitimately elite perimeter defender.
According to Basketball Index, Braun finished the 2024-25 season in the 97th percentile in perimeter isolation defense, the 88th percentile in off-ball chaser defense, and the 86th percentile in ball screen navigation.
Unfortunately, Braun has played in just 14 games in 2025-26 due to an ankle injury that's limited him to just three appearances since Nov. 12. His absence has gone hand in hand with Watson's sudden emergence and the potential for changes to be made in Denver.
If the Nuggets, who have faced the Lakers in six playoff series since 2008, decide to move on from Braun this summer to soften the financial blow of re-signing Watson, a trade between rivals could make sense.