Cavs exploring Dennis Schroder, Max Strus trades in pursuit of Peyton Watson

The Cavaliers’ pursuit of Peyton Watson appears to be getting increasingly serious.

Specifically, Cleveland is exploring trades involving Dennis Schroder and Max Strus in an effort to create the financial flexibility needed to acquire Watson from the Nuggets in a sign-and-trade, according to Marc Stein of The Stein Line.

Stein reports that the Cavs would like to sign Watson to a four-year contract, though plenty still has to happen before they could get there.

Schroder is owed $14.8 million this season and $15.8 million in 2027-28, while Strus is entering the final year of his contract at $16.7 million.

So there’s your potential path.

The Cavs have been linked to Watson for weeks, with ESPN’s Shams Charania previously identifying Cleveland, Milwaukee and the Clippers among the teams pursuing sign-and-trade possibilities. Those same teams remain in the mix, per Stein.

Then ESPN’s Dave McMenamin took things another step Monday, saying on NBA Today that the Cavs are considered a “serious” candidate to land Watson.

Now comes word that Cleveland is actively exploring ways to clear the necessary money.

Watson, 23, is reportedly seeking more than $25 million annually, and Denver isn’t expected to simply give him away. The Nuggets would have to cooperate in a sign-and-trade and presumably receive something they value in return.

Still, the Cavs’ intentions are becoming pretty obvious.

They’ve spent much of the offseason searching for another long, athletic wing, with Jonathan Kuminga and DeMar DeRozan among the other names to surface. Watson fits that description almost perfectly.

First there was interest. Then Cleveland became a “serious” candidate.

Now the Cavs are reportedly trying to move actual players to make a Watson deal possible.

That doesn’t mean a trade is coming. But this sure sounds like more than poking around.