Nuggets holding firm on Peyton Watson asking price

If the Cavaliers — or anyone else — hope to land Peyton Watson, it won’t come cheap.

According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, the Nuggets continue to seek at least one first-round pick and a proven rotation player in any sign-and-trade involving the restricted free agent. So far, no one has met that asking price.

Scotto reported that the Cavaliers, Bucks, Hawks and Clippers have all expressed interest in Watson, but none has included a first-round pick in discussions with Denver.

That’s significant because Watson has quietly become one of the more sought-after restricted free agents still available as the offseason rolls into August.

Cleveland entered the mix earlier this week, with ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne reporting the Cavs are still “poking around” on Watson while James Harden continues negotiating his new contract.

The Bucks, meanwhile, have explored the possibility of taking on Nuggets forward Zeke Nnaji as part of a larger deal, Scotto reported.

At the moment, though, Denver appears content to wait.

If the Nuggets don’t receive an offer they like — and can’t reach a long-term agreement with Watson — Scotto reported there’s a legitimate possibility the 23-year-old simply accepts his $6.5 million qualifying offer and returns to Denver for one season.

That would put Watson on track to become an unrestricted free agent next summer, giving him considerably more leverage than he has today.