Cavs, Bucks, Clippers remain in pursuit of Peyton Watson

Peyton Watson remains a restricted free agent. Increasingly, it sounds as if he may not remain a Nugget.

ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that the Cavaliers, Bucks and Clippers are among the teams pursuing sign-and-trade possibilities for Watson, with Denver receiving interest involving both players and draft picks.

“There are combinations of player packages, pick packages as well,” Charania said on NBA Today.

Charania added that Denver’s choices could eventually come down to trading Watson or having the 23-year-old return on his one-year, $6.5 million qualifying offer.

The Hawks are also interested, according to Eric Nehm of The Athletic, who confirmed Milwaukee’s pursuit as well.

The Bucks apparently aren’t eager to include a first-round pick in a deal. That could mean sending Denver a player of value instead, with Nehm raising Jaime Jaquez Jr. as one possibility.

There would be some financial gymnastics involved there.

Milwaukee is operating under a first-apron hard cap, while Denver can’t take salary back in a sign-and-trade unless the Nuggets move below the second apron. So this isn’t necessarily as simple as finding two teams that like each other’s players.

Watson could always accept the qualifying offer and return to Denver for one more season. Doing so would give him an implicit no-trade clause and allow him to become an unrestricted free agent next summer.

But the recent chatter may be pointing in another direction.

Ryan Blackburn of Mile High Sports noted that Watson’s representatives appear to be spending more time exploring opportunities elsewhere than working toward a return to Denver. Whether that’s because of money, Watson’s projected role with the Nuggets or some combination of the two remains unclear.

What is clear is that Watson has options. And with Cleveland, Milwaukee, Los Angeles and Atlanta all reportedly interested, Denver may have some options of its own.