When Peyton Watson and Tim Hardaway Jr. Return to Denver This Season

The Denver Nuggets have not made as many significant moves as fans might've expected this offseason, but they have certainly made some tweaks after their first-round playoff exit. Can we say they improved this offseason? Probably not, but they have enough to stay competitive.

This summer, the Nuggets most notably lost Peyton Watson to the Cleveland Cavaliers and Tim Hardaway Jr. to the Miami Heat. Also, Jonas Valanciunas signed overseas, the L.A. Clippers signed Jalen Pickett to a two-way deal, and Bruce Brown is still a free agent. The main focus, of course, will be on Watson and Hardaway Jr. as they return to Denver this season.

Since both Watson and Hardaway Jr. joined Eastern Conference teams, they will each come to Ball Arena just once this season. Here is when their first games back in Denver will be:

March 14: Heat at Nuggets

Mar 24, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Tim Hardaway Jr. (10) against the Phoenix Suns at Mortgage Matchup Center. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Yes, the Nuggets have to wait until March 2027 for either player to return to Denver. Coincidentally, they will return to Denver the same week.

Hardaway Jr.'s return to Denver might not matter as much, since he played just one season with the Nuggets, but I'd say he made a lasting impact. The veteran guard finished third in Sixth Man of the Year voting as a Nugget and had many clutch moments to help him be remembered in Denver for a while.

Last season, he averaged 13.5 points per game off the bench, while shooting a career-high 40.7% from beyond the arc. Hardaway Jr. did exactly what the Nuggets signed him to do, and it would've been great if he were able to stay as Denver's sixth man for another year or two. However, nobody can blame him for joining Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo in Miami on a one-year, $6 million deal.

This game will rightfully be nationally televised on NBC and streamed on Peacock.

March 18: Cavaliers at Nuggets

Mar 22, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Peyton Watson (8) smiles before the game against the Portland Trail Blazers at Ball Arena. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Of course, this is the return that many fans will be anticipating. And it comes just four days after Hardaway Jr.'s return to Denver.

Peyton Watson spent the first four years of his career in Denver, and he showed appreciation to the organization, fanbase, and his former teammates in a sincere farewell post this week. The Nuggets first took a chance on Watson as a doubted prospect out of UCLA, but they allowed him to develop and blossom into a two-way, high-impact player.

However, as soon as he finally realized his potential, they let him go. It certainly stings to see Watson leave Denver after a breakout season, but with the Nuggets unwilling to pay him what he wanted due to their strict financial situation, he did not have much of a choice.

Watson found a good home in Cleveland, joining a potential title contender with an impressive starting lineup alongside Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, James Harden, and Evan Mobley. This game is not scheduled to be nationally televised, but we could certainly see it get flexed into the spotlight.

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