​Houston, Texas – November 21: Nikola Jokić, wearing jersey #15, and Peyton Watson, wearing jersey #8 of the Denver Nuggets, converse during a timeout in the fourth quarter of the game against the Houston Rockets at the Toyota Center on November 21, 2025. The image is credited to Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images. Getty
The Denver Nuggets may have received their most hopeful update of the offseason regarding Peyton Watson. After days of speculation that the Los Angeles Clippers posed the biggest threat to sign Watson in restricted free agency, NBA insider Jake Fischer reported on Thursday that Los Angeles now appears more likely to keep Bennedict Mathurin instead.
Speaking during Bleacher Report’s livestream from the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, Fischer explained that the Clippers’ priorities have shifted in recent days. “I’ve been told that the Clippers, at this point in time, are actually more likely than we thought earlier in the week to bring back Ben Mathurin in comparison to bringing in Peyton Watson,” Fischer said.
This latest development could substantially improve Denver’s chances of reaching a long-term agreement with one of its premier young forwards. Just two days earlier, Fischer had identified the Clippers as the Nuggets’ main competition for Watson. He noted that Los Angeles remained interested despite its aggressive offseason spending, while emphasizing that the Nuggets viewed the Clippers as the team most capable of complicating negotiations. Now, that dynamic seems to be shifting.
According to Fischer, the Clippers are increasingly focused on re-signing Mathurin, the restricted free-agent wing they acquired from the Indiana Pacers in the Ivica Zubac trade. If Los Angeles commits significant salary-cap resources to Mathurin, its ability—or perhaps its desire—to aggressively pursue Watson would likely diminish. For Denver, that’s a reassuring development.
Negotiations between the Nuggets and Watson’s representatives are ongoing. Earlier in the week, Fischer reported that there remained a gap between Denver and Klutch Sports regarding Watson’s next contract. The disagreement centered less on Watson’s future with the franchise than on determining his market value. Fischer noted that Watson’s camp initially viewed Christian Braun’s five-year, $125 million extension as an appropriate benchmark. Denver, on the other hand, has reportedly been comfortable matching offers worth roughly $30 million annually or less, giving both sides room to eventually find common ground.
Peyton Watson and Nikola Jokić Getty Nikola Jokić and Peyton Watson of the Denver Nuggets converse during a timeout in the fourth quarter of the game against the Houston Rockets at the Toyota Center on November 21, 2025, in Houston, Texas. The image is credited to Getty.