Peyton Watson saga takes negative turn after Nuggets sign NBA outcast

Walker, whose NBA exploits have ranged from putting up a memorable fourth-quarter playoff performance for the Los Angeles Lakers to being waived by the Boston Celtics before playing a single minute for the club, averaged 15.2 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 28 games for Maccabi Tel Aviv in EuroLeague last season, according to Basketball Reference. Prior to that, the shooting guard put up a modest .420/.354/.800 shooting split in 20 games for the Philadelphia 76ers in 2024-25, a season that ended without Walker finding any suitors in the world's biggest basketball league.

Charania, in reporting the signing, mentioned that the addition of Walker could help to "make up for the loss of Tim Hardaway Jr., who signed a free-agent deal with the Miami Heat, and potentially restricted free agent Peyton Watson." He added that the Milwaukee Bucks, Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Clippers are all showing active interest in a potential Watson sign-and-trade that would provide Denver with some much-needed salary-cap relief.

Walker would not serve as a one-for-one replacement for Watson by any stretch of the imagination, but then again the salary cap does not care what position you play or how many minutes you feature. After first fighting off the Oklahoma City Thunder to retain Spencer Jones and now seemingly prioritizing the addition of a former NBA outcast over the resolution of Watson's contract limbo, things are not looking promising for those hoping to see the former UCLA man back in Denver this year.