All Signs Point to the Clippers' Pursuit of Peyton Watson in Restricted Free Agency

It is a new day in Los Angeles. The Clippers have entered a new era after dealing Kawhi Leonard back to the Toronto Raptors. Now, there is a younger and more dynamic team in LA with their eyes on the future. It may take some time to get back to being a dangerous playoff team, but the Clippers have plenty to be excited about.

For the first time in a while, the Clippers have assets, both in terms of young players and draft capital. They have intriguing prospects with upside, giving them some hope for the future. With the right moves to complement these players and internal development, the Clippers can quickly get back on track.

That is why it will be fascinating to watch what they end up doing the rest of this offseason. The biggest domino in Kawhi Leonard fell, but the Clippers still have to build a roster around the Darius Garland, Keaton Wagler, and Brandon Ingram trio. There are significant holes in the frontcourt, and the Clippers have to add more size, athleticism, and defense.

Which brings us to their pursuit of Peyton Watson. The 23-year-old is a restricted free agent this summer. Once the moratorium is lifted on Monday, July 6, teams will be allowed to sign an offer sheet with restricted free agents. The Clippers' plan is shaping up to be to pursue Peyton Watson.

Peyton Watson Is a Likely Free Agent Target for Clippers

The Clippers currently have around $22 million in cap space and the $9.4 million room midlevel exception. There are not too many free agents left on the market who are worth that $22 million.

The problem is that this may not be enough to lure Watson away from Denver. The Nuggets can match any offer sheet for their talented combo forward. The recent reporting suggests that they have made it a priority to keep the UCLA product in Denver.

That is why the Clippers have to force Denver's hand. Jake Fischer and Marc Stein reported on Saturday that Watson may require over $25 million in annual salary in his next contract. The Nuggets, who are facing a financial cliff and would be over the second apron in this scenario, may not be willing to match that offer sheet.

This means that the Clippers likely have to let Bennedict Mathurin walk. They can also open up more cap space by moving on from Derrick Jones Jr. or Kris Dunn. LA has the flexibility to create more room to be very aggressive in landing Watson.

Watson was rumored to be a Clippers target all offseason. The fact that they haven't signed any free agents and maintained their flexibility suggests that an offer sheet may be coming.

After Kawhi Leonard's departure, Watson makes plenty of sense in LA. He took a massive step forward last season, showing significant shooting and shot creation development. He is young and has the athletic and physical tools to be a high-level, two-way wing in this league. Given where the Clippers are as a franchise, betting on him makes a lot of sense for LA.

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