Peyton Watson joins Cleveland as a 41.1% three-point shooter from Denver
Peyton Watson is on the Cleveland Cavaliers roster for 2026-27. Last season he averaged 14.6 points for Denver and shot 41.1% from three. The right hamstring problem he had in September is behind him: he was cleared Oct. 8 and is not on the injury report, and his minutes have gone up in each of his October games.
By the Cavaliers Nightly Desk · updated 1 h ago01The story of the nightWho Watson isPeyton Watson wears No.
Peyton Watson wears No. 8 for the Cleveland Cavaliers this season. He is a 6-7, 215-pound guard out of UCLA. He is 24 years old and has 4 seasons of NBA experience. He spent last season in Denver, so the Cavaliers are getting a player who has already carried real minutes in this league. His size matters. At 6-7 he can guard bigger wings and still play on the perimeter, and his shot-blocking numbers show he uses that length. He is not on the injury report right now. His age and experience make him a rotation piece, not a long-term project. The question for Cleveland is how quickly he finds his role in a new system next to new teammates.
02What he did last seasonWatson played 54 games for Denver last season.
Watson played 54 games for Denver last season. He averaged 14.6 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 29.6 minutes a night. He was efficient. He shot 49.1% from the field, 41.1% from three and 73.0% at the line, for a true shooting mark of 59.4%. His usage rate was 20.4%, so he scored well without needing the ball on most trips. He also contributed on defense, with 0.9 steals and 1.1 blocks per game. He turned it over 1.7 times a game, and his plus-minus was 3.6. The three-point number stands out most. A 6-7 guard who makes 41.1% from deep and blocks more than a shot a game is hard to find. Those are last season's numbers, though, and Cleveland will use him in a new role.
03The hamstring and his healthWatson's fall started with a setback.
Watson's fall started with a setback. On Sept. 25 he was listed as day-to-day with a right hamstring problem. He was still day-to-day into October. On Oct. 8 he was cleared, and he played that night against Boston. He had 7 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists in 16.8 minutes. He is not on the injury report now. Hamstrings can come back, especially for players who run the floor and defend on the perimeter, so his early-season minutes are worth watching. The trend is good, though. He has played in every game since he was cleared, and the team has given him more time each night. For now he is a healthy player with no current listing, and that is the status that matters going into the season.
04Three October games in ClevelandWatson has played three games for Cleveland this month, and his minutes went up each time.
Watson has played three games for Cleveland this month, and his minutes went up each time. On Oct. 8 against Boston he played 16.8 minutes in a loss. On Oct. 11 against Orlando he had 6 points, 4 rebounds and 1 assist in 21.8 minutes, a Cavaliers win in which his plus-minus was 0.0. On Oct. 13 against Orlando he scored 10 points with 4 rebounds and 2 assists in 23.9 minutes. That was a loss and a bad plus-minus night. He has not yet matched last season's scoring average, but he is coming off a hamstring problem and learning a new team. The minutes going from 16.8 to 21.8 to 23.9 show Cleveland is easing him toward a full workload.
05How he finished in DenverWatson ended last season playing well.
Watson ended last season playing well. On March 22 against Portland he had 14 points and 6 rebounds in 19.9 minutes. On March 25 against Dallas he scored 21 points in 23.3 minutes. He followed that with 7 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists against Utah on March 27. Then he had 10 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists against Golden State on March 29, with a plus-minus of 11.0. On April 1 against Utah he played 9.4 minutes and scored 6. Denver won all five of those games. Earlier, in February, he played heavy minutes in back-to-back games: 17 points in 37.8 minutes against Detroit on Feb. 3 and 10 points in 33.3 minutes against New York on Feb. 4. He scored in different roles.
06Watson in the notes columnsWatson's name has come up in league notes columns all fall.
Watson's name has come up in league notes columns all fall. On Sept. 29 he was the first name in a Central Notes roundup and in a Nuggets Notes roundup. On Oct. 21 he led an Eastern Notes roundup that also covered the Hornets' and Magic's injuries. These are headlines from notes columns, not reported deals, and none of them change his status. He is on Cleveland's roster today. Other league-wide roundups this fall covered swing players, team needs, mutual options and offseason moves. Treat any talk about his role or his future as rumor until something official happens. For now his story is about the court: a healthy guard with a good shooting season behind him, working his way into a bigger role.
Watson14.6 ppg
Bridges14.4 ppg
DEN