Nuggets Announce Peyton Watson Injury Update for Suns Game

It looks like the Denver Nuggets will be playing things safe regarding the availability of their fourth-year forward Peyton Watson following his first game back from a hamstring injury over the weekend.

According to a recent injury update from the Nuggets, Watson has been listed out against the Phoenix Suns due to right hamstring injury management.

Injury Report ahead of tomorrow’s game against the Suns:

OUT:
Peyton Watson (Right Hamstring Injury Management)#MileHighBasketball pic.twitter.com/t1Bct7aJyQ
— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) March 23, 2026

Watson finally returned from his multiple-week hamstring injury in the Nuggets' latest game against the Portland Trail Blazers, a night in which he was on a restriction of 20 minutes to post 14 points, six rebounds, and three assists en route to a home victory.

However, his return to the lineup will be put on pause for the moment, leaving the Nuggets to make some slight shifts in the rotation from what was seen against the Blazers, but allows for Watson to maintain 100% health headed into Denver's postseason run that now sits just under a month away.

Nuggets Rule Peyton Watson Out vs. Suns

It's far from a surprise that the Nuggets are ruling out their fourth-year forward for their next game on the horizon.

Denver's eyeing a back-to-back against the Suns and the Dallas Mavericks for their next two matchups; a stretch in which they certainly weren't going to rush Watson back from a hamstring injury.

With that in mind, instead of deciding to rest Watson in the second game of a back-to-back as teams often do with players similarly coming back from injury, the Nuggets will likely elevate him for the second, while keeping him off to the side for the first leg.

The Nuggets may also opt to pair that with resting another one of their recently injured forwards, Aaron Gordon, in that same game that Watson plays in. That would allow Denver to stagger both's minutes to retain depth in their frontcourt for these games in place, but also ensure their long-term health and availability.

Mar 22, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Peyton Watson (8) smiles before the game against the Portland Trail Blazers at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Watson, when healthy, has been a huge bright spot for the Nuggets rotation. In the 50 games he's played thus far this season, he's averaged a career-high 14.9 points with 4.9 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and over a steal and a block per game as a high-energy, high-impact player on both ends of the floor.

Not having his services on the floor hurts the Nuggets rotation on any night, but the goal for Watson and his recovery is to keep him healthy, and consistently healthy for the many months ahead that could be ahead in the playoffs, depending on how deep Denver goes.

If that requires Watson––fresh off a tricky injury like a hamstring issue––to sit out one or a few regular season games against a Suns team that's already shorthanded on their end to achieve that goal, it's a wise trade-off to make, and one that the Nuggets has already made rolling into Tuesday.

Without him on the floor, the Nuggets will have to pivot slightly when it comes to their depth on the wing, possibly giving more minutes to third-year wing Julian Strawther to fill that void, who was DNP in Denver's last game against the Trail Blazers, yet has performed well in place of Watson when he's been sidelined.

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