NBA Trade Notes: Cavs, Peyton Watson, Nuggets, Clippers, Max Strus, Wizards

The Cavaliers’ acquisition of Peyton Watson wound up becoming considerably larger than originally expected.

What began as a sign-and-trade between Cleveland and Denver ultimately expanded into a five-team transaction involving the Clippers, Wizards and Hornets. The previously agreed-upon Dennis Schröder trade between Cleveland and Charlotte was folded into the deal.

Cleveland lands Watson on a four-year, $88 million contract, with Max Strus going to Los Angeles. Denver receives Cleveland’s unprotected 2031 first-round pick and Sacramento’s 2032 second-rounder, while Washington acquires Tre Mann, a 2027 second-round pick and cash.

There are plenty of other moving pieces, too. Here’s the latest from around the deal.

Nuggets

Denver may already have its next move in mind.

The Nuggets have shifted their attention to free agent forward DeMar DeRozan, according to NBA insider Chris Haynes, with Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints reporting that Denver is “determined” to get something done. Marc Stein of The Stein Line added that the Nuggets believe they can make a strong pitch to the 37-year-old.

Denver still has only 13 players on standard contracts and needs to add at least one more before the regular season.

Interestingly, moving Watson doesn’t get the Nuggets below the second apron. But it does prevent a massive tax hit. According to Hoops Rumors, signing Watson to the same four-year, $88 million contract he received from Cleveland would have increased Denver’s projected tax bill from $68.4 million to at least $210.8 million.

The Nuggets will also create a trade exception worth a little more than $10 million, although their second-apron status prevents them from using it unless they shed additional salary.

Denver also receives two-way forward Julian Reese from Washington, though ESPN reported Wednesday that Reese will be waived. Reese is the brother of WNBA star Angel Reese.

Clippers

The Clippers, meanwhile, get a proven rotation player in Strus without having to send out a player of their own.

Strus’ $16.7 million expiring contract is expected to fit into the trade exception Los Angeles created in the John Collins deal.

That gives the Clippers another veteran wing while they wait for resolution on the Kawhi Leonard trade to Toronto. Assuming that deal eventually goes through, salary-cap analyst Yossi Gozlan projects Los Angeles to sit roughly $15.1 million below the luxury-tax line and $23.7 million below its first-apron hard cap.

Roster space could become the bigger issue. If Leonard is eventually sent to Toronto and Brandon Ingram and Gradey Dick arrive in Los Angeles, the Clippers would have 16 players on guaranteed standard contracts before accounting for restricted free agent Bennedict Mathurin.

So more maneuvering is almost certainly coming.

Wizards

Washington joined the deal largely because it had too many wings and not enough point guards.

Josh Robbins of The Athletic reported that Cam Whitmore was unlikely to find significant playing time behind the Wizards’ collection of young perimeter players, including AJ Dybantsa, Kyshawn George, Bilal Coulibaly, Tre Johnson and Will Riley.

Mann fills a more obvious need behind starting point guard Trae Young.

Washington had previously pursued Russell Westbrook before his retirement, reportedly offering him a two-year contract. Instead, the Wizards now get the 25-year-old Mann, along with a 2027 second-round pick and cash.

Mann will make $8 million this season, with Washington holding an $8 million team option for 2027-28.

The Wizards also sent Reese to Denver after making the young big man more expendable by drafting Felix Okpara and signing him to a two-way contract.

So yes, the Watson deal was the headliner. But five teams got some business done along the way.