Lakers Could Outbid the Nuggets in Their Peyton Watson Pursuit

The Los Angeles Lakers want this talented 3-and-D wing, but the Denver Nuggets have a number that could end the pursuit fast.

Rob Pelinka | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Lakers went into this NBA offseason with one loud message: find a center. Luka Doncic has pushed for it, the front office has made it the top priority, and the playoff losses have made the need impossible to ignore. But the roster puzzle does not stop there.

Wing defense is the next item on the list. With Doncic and Austin Reaves sharing the backcourt, the Lakers are going to give up points on the perimeter unless they find someone long enough to cover elite wings. Peyton Watson is exactly that player, and he just had his best season with the Denver Nuggets.

What It Would Actually Take to Sign Peyton Watson

Peyton Watson | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

Marc Stein and Jake Fischer reported that the Nuggets have been planning to match any offer sheet thrown Watson's way. The only number that changes that plan, per their reporting, is something in the $30 million per year range.

"The Nuggets have been signaling for months that they plan to match any offer sheet for Watson … to the point that sources say it would take an offer sheet in the $30 million range in order for Denver to balk at re-signing him," Stein and Fischer wrote. "The Lakers and [Chicago] Bulls are two teams that have been mentioned as potential Watson suitors going back to February's trade deadline."

The Lakers and Bulls have all been connected to Watson. But $30 million per year is not a small ask. With Doncic at $55 million and Reaves above $46 million annually, adding Watson at that number would leave little room for anything else, including potentially LeBron James, whose future in LA is already uncertain. Spending $30 million on Watson could effectively make that decision for them.

Can the Lakers Make It Work?

Watson's case for that money is real. When Jokic missed time in January, Watson averaged 21.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 3.0 assists during that stretch while holding his own defensively at the point of attack. His 7'1" wingspan lets him bother guards and forwards without fouling, which is exactly what the Lakers' perimeter lacks.

But Denver is not walking away from Watson lightly. To keep him, they are expected to move Cameron Johnson's $23 million deal and possibly waive Jonas Valanciunas to clear cap space. They want this to work.

If the Lakers are serious about Watson, they already know what the number is. Now it comes down to whether they are willing to actually spend it.

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