Nuggets Trade Peyton Watson to Cavs in Three-Team Deal, Land 2031 First-Round Pick

Peyton Watson

Cavs land Watson, Clippers get Strus, Nuggets add draft picks in multi-team trade. Denver moves Watson to Cleveland for unprotected 2031 first and 2032 second.

Cavaliers sign Peyton Watson to $88M deal after acquiring him from Nuggets...

The Denver Nuggets sent forward Peyton Watson to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday in a three-team trade that also included the Los Angeles Clippers.

In the deal, Los Angeles landed Max Strus from Cleveland. Denver, meanwhile, picked up Cleveland’s unprotected 2031 first-round pick and Sacramento’s 2032 second-round pick.

Cleveland is planning to sign Watson to a four-year, $88 million contract.

 

The Washington Wizards get Tre Mann from Cleveland, along with the Clippers’ 2027 second-round pick and cash considerations.

BREAKING: Cleveland, Denver and the Clippers have agreed on a trade sending Peyton Watson to the Cavaliers, Max Strus to LA, and an unprotected 2031 Cavs first-round pick and a 2032 Kings second-rounder to the Nuggets, sources tell ESPN.

Watson will sign a new four-year, $88… pic.twitter.com/hXqL3JvsU4

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 19, 2026

Cleveland lands Cam Whitmore in a deal with Washington.

Washington also sends Julian Reese to Denver, and the Nuggets are waiving him from his two-way contract.

Watson, 23, was taken 30th overall by Denver in the 2022 NBA Draft and won a title with the Nuggets as a rookie. The athletic wing made a leap this past year, setting career highs of 14.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 0.9 steals per game while starting 40 of his 54 appearances.

He was also more efficient than ever, shooting 41.1% from three and 49.9% from the field - both career bests among players with at least 50 games.

Denver, Cleveland and Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul and agents Lucas Newton and Calvin Andrews finalized the new home Wednesday in a difficult restricted free agency landscape -- with Watson's reps navigating interest and offers from the Bucks, Trail Blazers and Clippers before… pic.twitter.com/klFZTz6BBA

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 20, 2026

Strus, 30, put up 11.2 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.2 assists in only 12 games for Cleveland last year. The veteran guard missed most of the season after having surgery to repair a fractured toe.

 

He hasn’t cracked 50 games in a season since joining the Cavs in 2023-24, when he appeared in 70.

The Denver Nuggets are pivoting and have their eyes directed on six-time All-Star DeMar DeRozan who remains a free agent in demand for contenders, league sources tell me.

— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) August 20, 2026

The trade comes amid reports that Denver was emerging as a frontrunner to sign six-time All-Star DeMar DeRozan.