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The Los Angeles Lakers could make a sign-and-trade deal with the Denver Nuggets swapping LeBron James and Peyton Watson.
The Los Angeles Lakers are expected to be busy this summer as it relates to going after top free agent targets, making trades, and putting a stronger team around Luka Doncic and presumably Austin Reaves.
While names like Giannis Antetokounmpo, Trey Murphy, Kawhi Leonard, and a few others remain on the table, the Lakers have been linked to upcoming free agent Peyton Watson for a long time and are expected to target the wing this offseason after his contract with the Denver Nuggets ends.
Watson is predicted to earn roughly a four-year, $100 million deal in free agency, money the Lakers would be able to afford with their cap space; however, that would require the standout forward to want to go to Los Angeles, which, right now, is not a guarantee.
GettyWhile the Lakers will make an ‘all out pursuit’ for a Giannis Antetokounmpo trade, cap space could be used on a specific free agent target.
Watson is a free agent this summer and is expected to get a big new contract after having the best season of his career with the Nuggets in 2025-26.
While it was previously the assumption that he would move on, as it was reported his hometown team, the Lakers, were interested in him, that might not be the case anymore.
According to Michael Scotto, Denver wants to keep Watson in town, and based on the latest free agency prediction by Erik Beaston of Bleacher Report, the Lakers will miss out on their top free agent target.
Denver Nuggets forward Peyton Watson is having a breakout season and will be one of the top restricted free agents this summer. After rebuffing trade interest, the Nuggets want to re-sign him this summer. Why Cam Johnson could become a trade candidate as a result on @YESNetwork.
“Peyton Watson has enjoyed a breakout season for the Denver Nuggets, and the team wants to hold onto the pending restricted free agent, per Michael Scotto for YES Network. The 23-year-old forward/guard out of Beverly Hills has developed into one of the most promising young stars in the league,” he wrote. “Scotto added, though, that to keep Watson and handle the extensions of Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray, they may have to find a trade partner for Cam Johnson… Prediction: Watson stays on a new deal, Johnson continues his career elsewhere.”
Even though the Lakers have expressed interest in bringing Watson back to his hometown as a free agent this summer, if the Nuggets can offer him a big contract, he isn’t expected to turn that down.
Still, the Lakers have been linked to several other wings of his caliber, as well as top-tier players like Antetokounmpo. So even if they miss out on one free agent target, they have a lot more players to go after.
GettyLuka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers defends Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks during the first quarter at Fiserv Forum on November 15, 2025 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Despite the seemingly bad news on Watson, the Lakers are eyeing many other players in free agency this summer.
“An unrestricted free agent who has been discussed internally, sources told ESPN, is Andrew Wiggins, but he has a player option with Miami he could exercise,” Dave McMenamin of ESPN wrote. “Tobias Harris, Quentin Grimes and Dean Wade are other players who fit that profile.”
“The Lakers have also privately discussed restricted free agents Tari Eason and Peyton Watson, sources told ESPN,” he added of the Lakers’ offseason plans.
The Lakers have discussed targeting players like Tobias Harris, Dean Wade, Quentin Grimes, Andrew Wiggins, Tari Eason, and Peyton Watson in the offseason, per @mcten
Along with those, Los Angeles has been linked to big men like Robert Williams, Nic Claxton, and Daniel Gafford. Some of them might have to come in through a trade, but regardless, if they are on the Lakers’ radar, it’s possible they could be heavily targeted this summer.
Antetokounmpo remains the grand prize, and the Lakers are expected to make an ‘all-out pursuit‘ for him as well.
While Los Angeles plans to resign Reaves this summer, the future of LeBron James remains uncertain. However, if he does leave, it frees up a ton of space space for the Lakers, meaning they could go after several free agents to pair with Doncic for the future.
Eli Gregorski is a sports journalist covering the NBA for Heavy Sports. He has years of sports writing experience covering the NBA, NFL, college football and basketball, international soccer, and Formula One. He graduated from the University of Colorado Boulder, where he was the assistant sports editor for the award-winning CU Independent student publication. More about Eli Gregorski
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