Nuggets dumping Peyton Watson raises troubling Nikola Jokic question By Brian Lewis Published Aug. 22, 2026, 8:10 p.m. ET Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic puts up a shot as New York Knicks forward Precious Achiuwa defends during the third quarter on Thursday, January 25, 2024, at Madison Square Garden. (Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post) Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post Peyton Watson has never started a playoff game or come close to being an All-Star. But his trade from Denver to Cleveland could have a butterfly effect that ripples through the postseason and impacts titles down the line.
Could it open the Cavaliers’ championship window and shut it for the aging Nuggets — and Nikola Jokic’s?
The Knicks’ wings helped them sweep Cleveland en route to winning the title, and now the Cavs hope Watson is the 3-and-D answer they’ve spent years and assets searching for. But far more fascinating is watching Denver’s steady erosion around Jokic from 2023 champions to first-round exit, and whether their refusal to ante up will finally drive the league’s most patient superstar to lose that patience.
For the young Spurs and Thunder, getting older is a good thing. For the aging Nuggets, not so much. With Jokic already 31, their championship window was shrinking, and this just made it smaller. In a vacuum, signing DeMar DeRozan for $3.9 million is solid, but managing a contender isn’t done in a vacuum.
