Cavs land Peyton Watson in three-team deal with Nuggets and Clippers

The Cavaliers have their wing.

More specifically, the Cavs, Nuggets and Clippers have agreed to a three-team trade that sends Peyton Watson to Cleveland and Max Strus to Los Angeles, as first reported by ESPN and confirmed by Hoops Wire sources.

The Nuggets will receive an unprotected 2031 first-round pick from Cleveland and a 2032 Sacramento Kings second-round pick. The Clippers, meanwhile, are sending Denver a 2027 second-round pick they acquired from Philadelphia in the Johni Broome trade and will absorb Strus into a trade exception.

Watson, 23, will sign a new four-year, $88 million contract with Cleveland that includes a player option and trade kicker.

And just like that, weeks of speculation are over.

Charania reported that the Nuggets, Cavs and Watson’s representatives at Klutch Sports finalized his new home Wednesday after a difficult restricted free-agent process. Milwaukee, Portland and the Clippers were among the teams to express interest before Watson’s camp narrowed its focus to the guaranteed $88 million deal with Cleveland.

The reigning Eastern Conference finalist Cavs have now made two notable moves in the past week, shipping Dennis Schroder to Charlotte for Tre Mann before dealing Strus to make room for Watson.

Watson gives Cleveland the athleticism, size and scoring it had been seeking on the wing after a career season in Denver.

The price is significant, particularly an unprotected first-round pick five years down the road.

But the Cavaliers wanted Watson. Now they have him.