Peyton Watson was a standout last season, averaging 14.6 points per game and 4.9 rebounds per game in 54 games played. The Cleveland Cavaliers landed Peyton Watson in a four-team deal. The Cleveland Cavaliers, Denver Nuggets and LA Clippers have agreed to a trade that sends Watson to the Cavaliers, Max Strus to the Clippers, and the Nuggets will receive picks, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Wednesday. The Cavaliers will also send Tre Mann, a 2027 second-round pick by the Clippers, and cash to the Washington Wizards in exchange for Cam Whitmore. The Wizards are sending Julian Reese to the Nuggets, who intend to waive Reese from his two-way deal, according to Charania’s report. Cavaliers receive: Peyton Watson Cam Whitmore Clippers receive: Nuggets receive: 2031 first-round pick (via CLE) 2032 second-round pick (via SAC) Wizards receive: Tre Mann 2027 second-round pick (via LAC) Cash considerations BREAKING: Cleveland, Denver and the Clippers agreed to a trade that will send Peyton Watson to the Cavaliers, Max Strus to Los Angeles and an unprotected 2031 first-round pick from the Cavs and second-round pick from the Kings in 2032 to the Nuggets, sources told ESPN. Watson will sign a new four-year, $88 contract… pic.twitter.com/hXqL3JvsU4 — Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 19, 2026 Watson, selected late in the first round of the 2022 NBA Draft, excelled last season, averaging 14.6 points per game and 4.9 rebounds per game in 54 games played. Watson completed his original four-year rookie contract, and although the Nuggets offered extensions, Watson’s camp fell apart as he decided to navigate the free agency landscape. The Denver Nuggets finished third in the Western Conference with a 12-game winning streak to complete the regular season. However, they fell to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the NBA playoffs in six games. Watson missed the playoffs due to a hamstring injury suffered in February that was aggravated again in April. As for Strus, the 7-year veteran spent three seasons with the Cavaliers, becoming a key piece in their starting rotation. Strus was dealing with a Jones fracture in his left foot for most of last season, as he appeared in 12 games and averaged 11.2 points per game. Mann, who was selected with the 18th overall pick in the 2021 NBA draft, spent the last three seasons with the Charlotte Hornets as a backup point guard. He appeared in 53 games, averaging 5.5 points per game. His best season with the Hornets was 2024-25, when he averaged 14.1 points per game. Mann was recently traded to the Cavaliers for Dennis Schröder before being traded to Washington.
