Cavaliers Acquire Peyton Watson in $88M Deal, Send Max Strus to Clippers in 4-Team Trade/ TezzBuzz/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ The Cleveland Cavaliers are acquiring restricted free agent Peyton Watson from the Denver Nuggets in a four-team trade. Watson will reportedly sign a four-year, $88 million contract, while Cleveland sends Max Strus to the Los Angeles Clippers. The deal also involves the Washington Wizards and includes Julian Reese, Tre Mann, Cam Whitmore and several draft picks.
Peyton Watson is heading from the Denver Nuggets to the Cleveland Cavaliers as part of a four-team trade that will also send Max Strus to the Los Angeles Clippers.
A person familiar with the agreement told The Associated Press that Watson will sign a four-year contract with Cleveland worth $88 million.
The deal includes a player option and a trade kicker.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity Wednesday night because the trade had not yet been formally announced.
The Cavaliers will send Denver an unprotected 2031 first-round draft pick.
The Nuggets will also receive a 2032 second-round selection originally belonging to the Sacramento Kings. Cleveland acquired that pick through a trade during June’s NBA draft.
Denver will additionally acquire Julian Reese from the Washington Wizards.
Cleveland will receive a 2027 second-round pick from the Clippers before redirecting it to Washington.
Watson, 23, spent his first four NBA seasons with Denver and was a restricted free agent.
He started a career-high 40 games last season while producing personal bests in several statistical categories.
Watson averaged 14.6 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game.
He provides Cleveland with the wing player it had been seeking after LeBron James signed with the Philadelphia 76ers instead of returning to the Cavaliers for a third stint.
Cleveland had also considered free agents DeMar DeRozan and Jonathan Kuminga.
Strus and Dean Wade were Cleveland’s main starters at small forward last season. Wade subsequently signed with Philadelphia during free agency.
A broken left foot caused Strus to miss the first 67 games of the season.
He returned to make several important baskets and steals during the playoffs as Cleveland reached the Eastern Conference finals for the first time since 2018.
The Cavaliers were swept by the New York Knicks in that series.
Cleveland created additional salary-cap flexibility last week by trading Dennis Schroder to the Charlotte Hornets for Tre Mann.
Mann’s stay with the Cavaliers will be brief. As part of the four-team agreement, he will be sent to Washington in exchange for Cam Whitmore.
The completed transaction reshapes Cleveland’s wing rotation while giving Watson a long-term contract and a prominent role with an Eastern Conference contender.
More on Sports
