With the Denver Nuggets turning their eyes towards the offseason after emerging from the 2023 NBA Finals as the league's champions, the primary question they face is whether or not to re-sign 26-year-old guard Bruce Brown.
Though Brown technically has a year remaining on his contract, the five-year pro will reportedly decline his $6.8 million player option for the 2023-24 season and test free agency. A player with the type of two-way presence any team should want, Brown may have multiple suitors this offseason, especially after his play during the 2023 NBA Playoffs.
That being said, though there will be mutual interest between Brown and the Nuggets on a return to Denver, the Nuggets are a cash-strapped team that don't have Brown's Bird Rights. Consequently, they can only offer Brown the $5 million taxpayer mid-level exception.
Which is why they rightly have a successor in place for Brown if they don't re-sign him: 20-year-old wing Peyton Watson.
Watson, the 30th overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft out of UCLA, demonstrated his ability to be a 3-and-D role player for the Nuggets even in limited minutes. Denver appears internally impressed, with ESPN insider Zach Lowe reporting that Nuggets âcoaches, players and staff are optimistic he could seize a big role next season â especially if Brown leaves in free agency.â
Watson, 6-foot-8 and 200 pounds, averaged just 3.3 points in 8.1 minutes per game last season but shot 49.2 percent from the field and 42.9 percent from 3-point range. He started two games for the Nuggets, averaging 8.0 points and 4.5 rebounds per game.
On a Nuggets team that's taken pride in their organically built roster, Watson could be the next key piece.