{"id":176762,"date":"2026-02-18T14:32:46","date_gmt":"2026-02-18T19:32:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=176762"},"modified":"2026-02-18T14:32:46","modified_gmt":"2026-02-18T19:32:46","slug":"can-the-nuggets-actually-be-part-of-the-giannis-sweepstakes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2026\/02\/18\/can-the-nuggets-actually-be-part-of-the-giannis-sweepstakes\/","title":{"rendered":"Can the Nuggets Actually Be Part of the Giannis Sweepstakes?"},"content":{"rendered":"

When it comes to publicly available superstars, there may not have been one as accomplished as Giannis Antetokounmpo<\/a> in decades. Yes, Luka Doncic<\/a> was traded last year\u2014but for reasons only Nico Harrison<\/a> understands, his availability was never made public as the Mavericks fixated solely on acquiring Anthony Davis<\/a>.<\/p>\n

You could point to AD’s move to the Lakers or Kawhi Leonard<\/a>‘s trade to Toronto as similarly impactful stars that were transactions in the recent past, but both came with significant caveats. Davis never proved he could lead a franchise to sustained success as the primary star and has never been among the league’s elite MVP candidates, while Kawhi’s move to Toronto\u2014though it worked brilliantly\u2014was clearly a one-year rental from the outset.<\/p>\n

The Giannis situation with the Bucks differs from the aforementioned ones. Both sides appear to recognize that a separation could serve their best interests, and they seem prepared to move on\u2014provided the deal makes sense for everyone involved. The uncomfortable truth for Milwaukee is that they have no realistic path back to championship contention in the near future, and a trade in the offseason seems inevitable.<\/p>\n

But unlike Nico Harrison last season, Milwaukee’s front office refuses to settle for a subpar offer that NBA fans will ridicule as one of the worst trades in the league’s history\u2014one that is so bad that it sparked numerous conspiracy theories. Despite the difficult situation, the Bucks held firm throughout the season and the trade deadline since no team met their asking price. That stalemate has now created an unexpected opening for the Denver Nuggets to maybe become a player in the Giannis sweepstakes in the offseason.<\/p>\n

Can the Nuggets Actually Be Part of the Giannis Sweepstakes?<\/h2>\n

There are clear reasons why Giannis hasn\u2019t been moved yet. Teams that are desperate to land him\u2014such as the Warriors, Lakers, and to a lesser extent the Knicks\u2014simply don\u2019t have the assets. They lack intriguing young players and premium draft picks, which Milwaukee would need to kickstart a rebuild. On the other end of the spectrum, teams like the Spurs and Thunder are loaded with picks and young talent, but they\u2019re already on track to contend or even repeat as champions and have little incentive to make such a seismic in-season move when they already have the ability to grow into a dynasty through organic internal development.<\/p>\n

At first glance, Denver doesn’t belong in this conversation. The Nuggets have already traded away most of their future draft capital, and their remaining picks project to fall late in the first round. However, a strange and injury-plagued season has changed the equation. Injuries to proven veterans have opened opportunities for Denver’s young players, and many have seized them\u2014none more than Peyton Watson<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The Emergence of Peyton Watson Could Make Him an Interesting Trade Piece<\/h3>\n

Watson began the season stepping up admirably alongside Spencer Jones<\/a> after injuries to Christian Braun<\/a> and Aaron Gordon<\/a>. But his real breakout came during Nikola Jokic\u2019s month-long absence. Desperate for offense, the Nuggets handed Watson more responsibility, and he delivered\u2014averaging over 22 points per game while shouldering the primary creation duties alongside Jamal Murray<\/a>.<\/p>\n

What stood out wasn\u2019t just the scoring, but the new facets he showcased with his offensive capabilities. Watson impressed with his shot creation off the dribble, intriguing playmaking capabilities, and a level scoring ability that only he\u2014and probably Calvin Booth\u2014likely believed was possible. He suddenly looked like a player with legitimate All-Star upside capable of being one of the best two-way wings in the league. He essentially blossomed into everything the Nuggets hoped he could be.<\/p>\n

The question now is whether that version of Peyton Watson can exist once the Nuggets roster is fully healthy again.<\/p>\n

A Difficult Fit Next to Jokic<\/h3>\n
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Jokic’s return has made things harder for the young wing. The raw scoring numbers haven’t looked bad, but it’s undeniable that PWat hasn’t quite looked the same with the three-time MVP back on the floor. Even as the Serbian has consciously stepped back to empower his teammates, it’s simply harder to shine offensively when you’re no longer The Guy<\/strong><\/em>.<\/p>\n

Anyone who has played basketball understands this dynamic. Scoring and creating come easier when you know the offense runs through you\u2014when you’re the ultimate decision-maker on most possessions, you can find your rhythm and build confidence throughout an extended period of time. But when your time on the ball is lessened, a new skillset is required to shine even if you get objectively easier shots.<\/p>\n

Jokic does an excellent job finding Watson on cuts and in transition, but in most half-court situations, he just has not looked the same. His off-the-dribble ability, which has grown the most, simply cannot shine the same way when he has to share the court with Murray and Jokic.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Will Watson Even Start?<\/h3>\n
\"Christian
Mar 10, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Denver Nuggets forward Peyton Watson (8) and guard Christian Braun (0) high five after scoring against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the second half at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

All of these factors lead us to an even more uncomfortable question: what is Watson\u2019s role when the Nuggets are fully healthy?<\/p>\n

It feels almost unfathomable that a player who looked like Denver\u2019s second-best option during Jokic\u2019s absence might not even start. Yet fitting him into the starting lineup is not as easy as it looks at first glance. The core three of Murray, Jokic and Gordon ideally need to be surrounded by low usage floor spacers capable of being great defenders.<\/p>\n

Taking Christian Braun out of the lineup is difficult. He\u2019s the superior point-of-attack defender, especially against quick guards, and doesn\u2019t need the ball to be effective offensively. Cam Johnson<\/a>\u2014while inconsistent\u2014is still the superior spot up shooting threat that complements Jokic and Murray better. Watson will likely command a significant contract in restricted free agency, which deepens Denver\u2019s dilemma because they have an incredibly talented player they may not be able to fully maximize, putting the team in a difficult conundrum.<\/p>\n

Could a Giannis Trade Actually Happen?<\/h3>\n

This is where a potential Giannis trade gets interesting. So why would the Bucks do this deal? There’s no getting around it \u2014 the Nuggets simply don’t have the draft capital to compete with the rebuild packages other teams can offer. What they do have, however, is a young player who has already flashed star-level potential.<\/p>\n

Watson has looked like a “mini Giannis” when given offensive freedom\u2014an athletic, downhill force with defensive versatility and massive upside. Among all realistic trade candidates, he may be the most appealing young player on the market, particularly when stacked against uncertain future picks, which might not even be that good to begin with.<\/p>\n

To make the salaries work, Denver could sweeten the deal by adding either Christian Braun or Aaron Gordon. Braun would give Milwaukee a great perimeter defender and form an intriguing foundation of an elite defensive team alongside Watson and Myles Turner<\/a>. Gordon, meanwhile, could help keep the Bucks competitive in the short term \u2014 a player who, when healthy, made a strong case for All-Star consideration himself. And the moment Giannis walks through the door in Denver, Gordon might become somewhat redundant in the Mile High City.<\/p>\n

Is all of this unrealistic? Absolutely.<\/p>\n

But Watson’s breakout year has given the Nuggets something they didn’t have before: a real trade piece. At the very least, Denver can now force rival suitors to put established players on the table\u2014players they’d rather keep.<\/p>\n

And just as Giannis and Milwaukee eventually need to part ways, moving on might actually serve both Watson and the Nuggets. Denver may never unlock the best version of the young wing\u2014and it might be the best for PWats’ career to be the centerpiece in a different franchise.<\/p>\n

\u00a9 Benny Sieu-Imagn Images<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

When it comes to publicly available superstars, there may not have been one as accomplished as Giannis Antetokounmpo in decades. Yes, Luka Doncic was traded last year\u2014but for reasons only Nico Harrison understands, his availability was never made public as the Mavericks fixated solely on acquiring Anthony Davis. You could point to AD’s move to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5490,"featured_media":126345,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1608,20,2,15,62,4721],"tags":[472,4524,306,109,48957,49362],"class_list":["post-176762","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-basketball","category-nuggets","category-featured","category-bucks","category-nba","category-trade-rumors","tag-aaron-gordon","tag-christian-braun","tag-giannis-antetokounmpo","tag-jamal-murray","tag-peyton-watson","tag-spencer-jones"],"modified_by":"Jordan Pagkalinawan","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/176762","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5490"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=176762"}],"version-history":[{"count":24,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/176762\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":178127,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/176762\/revisions\/178127"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/126345"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=176762"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=176762"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=176762"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}