Jokic Backs Nuggets After $88 Million Watson Exit as Denver Avoids Potential $238 Million Tax Hit
Updated
Updated · Denver Sports · Aug 20
Jokic Backs Nuggets After $88 Million Watson Exit as Denver Avoids Potential $238 Million Tax Hit
3 articles · Updated · Denver Sports · Aug 20
Summary
Nikola Jokic said "it’s gonna be okay" after Denver traded Peyton Watson to Cleveland in a sign-and-trade, his first public comment on a move that has unsettled Nuggets fans.
The deal sent out Watson on a four-year, $88 million contract and brought back an unprotected 2031 Cavaliers first-round pick plus a 2032 Kings second-rounder.
Denver made the move to shed Watson’s $22 million annual salary and avoid a projected luxury-tax penalty that ESPN’s Bobby Marks estimated could have reached $238 million.
Jokic said Denver will miss Watson’s energy and skill, but his measured support stops short of a broader endorsement of the front office as the roster grows thinner and cheaper.
That scrutiny is sharpened by Jokic entering the final year of his contract after delaying an extension again, even though he has repeatedly said he plans to sign next summer.
As the Nuggets prioritize saving millions over keeping rising star Peyton Watson, will this aggressive cost-cutting push Nikola Jokic to leave Denver next summer?
With Denver gutting its roster to avoid massive tax penalties, how can the team stay competitive during the final year of Jokic's current contract?
Peyton Watson secured an $88 million payday after a breakout season, but can he replicate his elite three-point shooting success with the Cleveland Cavaliers?