Peyton Watson's restricted free agency may now run through Milwaukee.
Marc Stein reported that one source briefed on Watson's situation sees the Bucks as the most likely external suitor to pull him away from Denver. The timing matters. The Nuggets matched Oklahoma City's two-year, $12 million offer sheet for Spencer Jones, a move that pushed Denver into the second apron and tightened the team's flexibility.
Denver's ask is still high. According to Stein, the Nuggets are holding out for the equivalent of at least two first-round picks in any sign-and-trade that would cost them Watson. That is a steep price for a young wing who has interest, but not a fully settled market.
Milwaukee is a natural team to watch because it has a $25.5 million traded player exception that can absorb salary, along with young players who could enter different trade constructions. The question is how aggressive the Bucks want to be after already carrying major long-term money around the roster.
Watson's market has leverage on both sides. Denver can ask big. Milwaukee has a tool few teams can match. The gap is whether the Bucks see Watson as worth paying Denver's price, not just Watson's next contract.
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