The Nuggets' injury situation has placed Peyton Watson's contract decision under scrutiny.

Billy Heyen

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Nuggets' injuries have brought Peyton Watson contract decision into spotlight image

TL;DR

  • Christian Braun and Aaron Gordon's injuries give Peyton Watson a starting opportunity.
  • Watson can showcase his skills to secure a new contract as a restricted free agent.
  • His recent strong performances, including career-high scoring, boost his contract prospects.
  • Watson's 3-point shooting could be crucial for him to get the contract he seeks.

The Denver Nuggets are dealing with a couple of major injuries.

Christian Braun and Aaron Gordon are both sidelined for a while.

This has an interesting consequence: It's brought Peyton Watson into prominence. The timing is crucial for Watson and for The Nuggets.

Watson is slated to become a restricted free agent following the season. This presents him with an opportunity to demonstrate his abilities.

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During the recent offseason, Jonathan Kuminga and Josh Giddey were prominent figures in a group of restricted free agents who encountered difficulties securing new deals.

If Watson plays well now, he could fall into that category next summer.

ESPN's Tim MacMahon explained the situation like this on Wednesday as ESPN ranked the Nuggets No. 3 in its league power rankings:

"Peyton Watson, who is headed toward restricted free agency after failing to reach an agreement on an extension of his rookie contract with the Nuggets, will have an extended stretch as a starter to showcase himself with Christian Braun and Aaron Gordon out for weeks because of injuries. Watson has averaged 16.7 points and 6.7 rebounds while starting the past six games, highlighted by the two highest-scoring performances of his career (32 and 27 points in wins over the Pelicans and Grizzlies, respectively). Watson is shooting 40% from 3-point range this season, which could be the key to getting the kind of contract he's seeking."

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The Nuggets have largely maintained consistency with their starting lineup over recent years. This season, they experimented with Trading Michael Porter Jr. For Cameron Johnson, a move that has not yielded positive results to date.

But even in Johnson's struggles, Denver has been really, really good. That's in part because Watson has upped his game.

Could Watson secure a substantial contract from The Nuggets, or perhaps a significant offer sheet from another team? His performance in the coming weeks, given the current injury situation, will probably determine that.

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Senior Editor