Watson (hamstring) is out for Monday's game against the Thunder, Chris Fedor of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.
Watson was initially listed as questionable due to right hamstring soreness and will be held out of Monday's contest. His next chance to play will come in Wednesday's rematch against Oklahoma City. In the meantime, Meleek Thomas, Mario Hezonja and Sam Merrill are candidates to see increased burn.
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Cavaliers' Peyton Watson: Dealing with hamstring soreness
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Watson (hamstring) is questionable to play in Monday's game against Oklahoma City.
Watson is battling soreness in his right hamstring, an ailment that has put his status for Monday's contest in jeopardy. With Jaylon Tyson (ankle) already ruled out, the Cavs could be thin on the wings, while Sam Merrill, Mario Hezonja and Meleek Thomas would all stand to see increased playing time if Watson is forced to miss his first outing of the season.
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Cavaliers' Peyton Watson: Another strong performance
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Watson recorded 22 points (9-17 FG, 1-4 3Pt, 3-3 FT), six rebounds, two assists and one block in 28 minutes during Wednesday's 121-111 victory over the Wizards.
Watson continues to find his way in Cleveland, scoring a season-high 22 points while also adding another blocked shot. Through four games, he has averaged 14.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 0.8 three-pointers and 3.3 combined steals and blocks. Assuming anyone who drafted him did so in the later rounds, his production thus far has been more than adequate. Despite a somewhat limited ceiling, Watson should be able to do more than enough on most nights to be rostered in the majority of leagues.
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Cavaliers' Peyton Watson: Swats four shots in win
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Watson ended Monday's 127-125 overtime victory over the Timberwolves with 15 points (5-13 FG, 0-5 3Pt, 5-6 FT), eight rebounds, one assist, four blocks and three steals in 37 minutes.
Watson struggled from beyond the arc but compensated with an outstanding defensive performance, recording seven combined steals and blocks. He also established season highs in scoring, rebounds and blocks while playing a substantial role in Cleveland's overtime victory. His defensive production gives him considerable upside in category-based fantasy leagues.
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Cavaliers' Peyton Watson: Struggles on offense
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Watson recorded six points (3-10 FG, 0-3 3Pt), four rebounds, one assist and two steals in 22 minutes as a starter during Sunday's 119-105 preseason win over Orlando.
Watson struggled with his shot, particularly from beyond the arc, but contributed defensively with a pair of steals. His defensive contributions offer fantasy appeal, though inconsistent offensive production could limit his overall upside.
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Cavaliers' Peyton Watson: Starting role not yet guaranteed
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Although head coach Kenny Atkinson said the starting lineup for the beginning of the 2026-27 season is not yet set, he praised Watson's (hamstring) fit in Cleveland and added that "there's a lot of room for growth in his offensive game," Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com reports.
Watson isn't guaranteed a spot in the starting five immediately but will have the chance to compete for it during training camp. The 24-year-old forward figures to play a sizable role for Cleveland after being acquired from the Nuggets in August in a multi-team deal. Watson was limited to just 54 regular-season appearances (40 starts) in 2025-26 due in large part to a strained hamstring, though he impressed when healthy, averaging career highs in points (14.6), rebounds (4.9), assists (2.1) and steals (0.9) while chipping in 1.1 blocks per game and shooting 41.1 percent from beyond the arc. His length and defensive versatility will be key for a Cleveland team trying to reach the Finals for the first time since the 2017-18 campaign. However, his growth on the offensive end will also be crucial to achieving that objective. Watson is one of the top candidates to join James Harden, Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen in the starting lineup, but Atkinson isn't ready to commit to that idea just yet, as the Cavaliers have other options like Sam Merrill and Jaylon Tyson.
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Nuggets' Peyton Watson: Nuggets make $70 million offer
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The Nuggets offered Watson (hamstring) $70 million over five seasons, Tony Jones of The Athletic reports.
This offer comes in well below the $25 million annually that Watson was seeking. Christian Braun previously received a five-year, $125 million deal from the Nuggets and was clearly outplayed by Watson in 2025-26, but Denver holds the leverage. Watson is a restricted free agent, and his top suitors currently don't have the cap space to sign him.
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Nuggets' Peyton Watson: Still out with hamstring strain
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Watson (hamstring) is out for Game 6 of the Western Conference first-round series against Minnesota on Thursday.
Watson's absence with a right hamstring strain will have now exceeded a month by the time Denver's next contest comes around. If the Nuggets are able to stave off elimination Thursday, Watson's next chance to take the floor would come Saturday in Game 7.
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Nuggets' Peyton Watson: Another absence coming
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Watson (hamstring) is out for Game 3 on Thursday against Minnesota.
Watson will be sidelined for an eighth consecutive contest Thursday due to a left hamstring strain, and it's unclear if his return to action is at all imminent. The Nuggets should continue to lean more heavily on Christian Braun and Cameron Johnson while Watson is sidelined.
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Nuggets' Peyton Watson: Will miss regular-season finale
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Watson (hamstring) will miss Sunday's game against the Spurs.
Watson is considered week-to-week due to right hamstring tightness, so it's not surprising to see him sit out the final game of the regular season. He will finish the regular season with averages of 14.6 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game while starting 40 of his 54 appearances. It remains to be seen if he'll be available for the start of the playoffs.
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Nuggets' Peyton Watson: Considered week-to-week
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Watson (hamstring) is considered week-to-week, Bennett Durando of The Denver Post reports.
This is a tough blow for Denver after Watson suffered the setback during Wednesday's win over the Jazz. With the playoffs quickly approaching, the Nuggets are likely to tread carefully. In the meantime, Cameron Johnson and Julian Strawther are likely to be more involved for Denver.
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Nuggets' Peyton Watson: Questionable to return vs. Jazz
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Watson is questionable to return to Wednesday's game against the Jazz due to right hamstring tightness.
Watson logged just over nine minutes in the first half before checking out with 7:03 remaining in the second quarter. If he's unable to return, he'll finish with six points (3-5 FG, 0-2 3Pt) and three rebounds.
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Nuggets' Peyton Watson: Starting Sunday
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Watson will start Sunday versus the Warriors.
Watson is getting the spot-start with Aaron Gordon (calf) unavailable, and he'll be joined in the first unit by Jamal Murray, Christian Braun, Cameron Johnson and Nikola Jokic. As a starter this season, Watson owns averages of 17.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.8 triples, 1.1 steals and 1.2 blocks per contest.
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Nuggets' Peyton Watson: Will play Wednesday
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Watson (hamstring) is available for Wednesday's game against the Mavericks.
Watson will shed a questionable tag in time to face Dallas, marking his return from a one-game absence due to a strained right hamstring. The 23-year-old forward has appeared in just one game following his 19-game absence, so it's likely he'll play limited minutes off the bench once again.
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Nuggets' Peyton Watson: Questionable for Wednesday
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Watson (hamstring) is questionable for Wednesday's game against the Mavericks.
After missing the front end of this back-to-back set Tuesday against the Suns, Watson is not a lock to play Wednesday. If he's held out once again, the Nuggets will likely lean on Tim Hardaway and Spencer Jones.
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Nuggets' Peyton Watson: Ruled out for Tuesday
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Watson (hamstring) has been ruled out for Tuesday's game against the Suns.
Watson will sit out the front end of this back-to-back set following his return from a 19-game absence due to a strained right hamstring. With the 23-year-old forward out, Spencer Jones and Tim Hardaway are candidates to see increased playing time.
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Nuggets' Peyton Watson: Scores 14 points in return
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Watson (hamstring) accumulated 14 points (6-13 FG, 1-5 3Pt, 1-2 FT), six rebounds and three assists over 20 minutes during Sunday's 128-112 victory over the Trail Blazers.
Watson brought some gritty energy to the second unit, and he was moving around great in his first game back following a seven-week absence. That said, the Nuggets open Week 22 with a Tuesday-Wednesday back-to-back set, so managers will need to be on alert for a potential maintenance day.
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Nuggets' Peyton Watson: Slated to return Sunday
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Watson (hamstring) is expected to be available for Sunday's game against the Trail Blazers, Shams Charania of ESPN reports.
Watson has not played since Feb. 4 due to a right hamstring strain, but it appears the fourth-year pro has progressed enough in his recovery to return for the Nuggets on Sunday. He'll likely operate under a minutes restriction, and his return would mean that less bench minutes would be available for the likes of Tim Hardaway and Julian Strawther. Prior to his injury, Watson was averaging 14.9 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.5 threes, 1.2 blocks and 1.0 steals over 30.7 minutes per game.
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Nuggets' Peyton Watson: Ruled out Wednesday
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Watson (hamstring) is out for Wednesday's game against Memphis.
Although Watson will miss an 18th straight contest due to a right hamstring strain, it sounds like he's on the cusp of making his return to the floor. The Nuggets expressed optimism Monday that Watson would play at some point this week, per Vinny Benedetto of The Denver Gazette, so the forward will next set his sights toward Friday's tilt against Toronto as a possible return date.
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Nuggets' Peyton Watson: Remaining out Tuesday
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Watson (hamstring) has been ruled out for Tuesday's game against the 76ers.
Watson will miss a 17th consecutive game due to a right hamstring strain, but he's closing in on a return. According to Vinny Benedetto of The Denver Gazette, Watson was able to take part in 3-on-3 work after Monday's practice, and head coach David Adelman suggested afterward that he's optimistic that the fourth-year forward will be back in action by the end of the week. With that in mind, Watson will likely remain out for the second leg of the Nuggets' back-to-back set Wednesday in Memphis, but Friday's game against the Raptors may be a more realistic target for his return.
