The best stretch of Peyton Watson’s career came to a crashing halt on Wednesday, as the Denver Nuggets’ fourth-year forward suffered a grade 2 left hamstring injury and is expected to miss extended time, according to The Athletic’s Tony Jones.
Watson could miss upwards of a month, but Jones says it could be only three weeks by the most optimistic timeline. Realistically, Watson will likely be out until at least mid-March. It’s an injury that could bother him, perhaps the rest of the regular season, which wraps up in mid-April. He is a restricted free agent this summer, but the goal will now be to make sure he’s at 100% come playoff time.
It’s the same injury Aaron Gordon suffered late in Game 6 of last year’s second-round series against the Thunder. He played with one leg through the pain in Game 7. The Nuggets lost. Gordon has dealt with a similar injury in his other leg all of this season. Twice missing, including currently, extended periods.
Ironically, Watson’s breakout has come in part because of the additional opportunities he’s had because of Gordon’s injuries, as well as the ankle issue that has bothered Christian Braun for much of the year.
Watson was having a career season prior to the injury, averaging 14.9 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.2 blocks and 1 steal while shooting 49.6 percent from the field and 41.7 percent from 3-point range in 49 appearances, including 39 starts. Since the start of January, Watson had been particularly dominant, posting 21.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.6 blocks and 1.1 steals per game on 45.7 percent shooting from deep in 18 outings.
He left Wednesday’s 134-127 double-overtime loss to the New York Knicks in the fourth quarter after appearing to strain his hamstring while cutting toward the basket. Watson finished with 10 points, five rebounds, two assists, one steal and one block in 33 minutes before exiting. It came in a game the Nuggets also lost, fellow forward Spencer Jones to a concussion. Jones is out of eligibility on his two-way contract but will soon sign a full deal, making him eligible to play when he’s healthy.
“It’s deflating when you keep seeing people go down around you when you’re trying to build towards something,” coach David Adelman said postgame.
Watson now joins Gordon, Cameron Johnson and Jones on the current shelf — four forwards sidelined as part of the cascade of injuries the Nuggets have endured this season.
Johnson remains out with a knee injury, similar to the one that cost Nikola Jokic a month. Johnson hasn’t played since before Christmas, he could return soon. Then Jonas Valanciunas got hurt, and it was in that time frame that Watson buoyed the Nuggets.
In all Jokic missed over 15 games, Valanciunas sat nearly a month with a calf strain and Braun has appeared in only 16 games due to his ankle issue.
Despite the mounting injuries and losing six of their last 10 games, Denver sits third in the Western Conference at 33-19. The Nuggets have an open roster spot following the trade deadline and could turn to the buyout market to add forward depth.
For Watson, the 23-year-old who was finally proving his worth after being selected 30th overall in 2022, the timing couldn’t be worse. His emergence as one of the league’s most promising two-way players had positioned him for a significant payday this summer, with the Los Angeles Lakers targeting him and keeping cap space open at the deadline for the summer.
The Nuggets return to action Saturday in Chicago against the new-look Bulls; they have three games left before the much-needed All-Star break.
