Peyton Watson remains an unsigned restricted free agent. The Milwaukee Bucks remain in need of a defensive stopper on the wing. And with news that the Bucks have been linked to Watson, exploring avenues for them to acquire Watson was a natural progression.
Of course, as noted, gaining Watson’s services wouldn’t be easy. For one, the Denver Nuggets’ cap situation is, well, complicated. But the Bucks have ways to get around this, namely through their replenished stock of draft capital and the $25.5m
trade exception created in the Giannis trade, which is around the mark that Watson appears to be after.
“Peyton Watson and his camp want something in that $28 million north range and the offers so far have been fluctuating between that $20-24 million per year range… When you’re Peyton Watson, you want more than Christian Braun.”
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) July 23, 2026
– @BrettSiegelNBA 👀
(via “Clutch Scoops”) pic.twitter.com/sQA2D4lr5e
However, with the Nuggets looking to compete behind arguably the best player in the league, Nikola Jokic, logic would have it that acquiring a ready-made player on a team-friendly contract would be a better option. Thus, we gauged your interest on a potential Ryan Rollins for Peyton Watson sign-and-trade. The majority of fans (57%) said no, with 30% hanging up the phone and 27% tempted but ultimately unconvinced.
As always, there was wisdom behind the rejections.
naveed2000s: I want Watson, but I’d toss multiple future picks at him before I’d toss in Rollins, personally. This era is about getting good young players and building with them. We know Rollins is good, whether he’s peaked or not. Let’s not get crazy in the first offseason of doing this.
Pono: Why would you trade the most rapidly improving player in the league, a guy who wants to be in Milwaukee and has the versatility to adjust his role as the rebuild takes shape? Can’t we just have nice things? Plus, Rollins will be in line for a big contract in ‘27 that Denver cannot afford so he has little value to them as a 1 year rental.
Although the majority of fans disagreed with a Rollins for Watson swap, 41% thought it made sense. They had their reasons too.
Mitchell Maurer: Peyton Watson . . . is a big, young wing who can both score and defend, and is only available because he’s a strain on Denver’s cap sheet. Players like Watson are always in demand and always hard to acquire as a result, so why wouldn’t the Bucks entertain the prospect?
Nicknackpattywack: Joker was out a total of 15 games last season. Watson averaged 22.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game. He also shot 50.5% from the field and 45.7% from three-point range during those stretches.
In all, it seems Rollins is safe—at least as far as fans are concerned. But what does the Bucks’ brass think? Now that LeBron James has finally made his decision, perhaps free agency will ramp back up again and we’ll get an answer on Watson too.
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