No, the Milwaukee Bucks are not contenders to land restricted agent Peyton Watson themselves, but they can benefit from helping the Denver Nuggets keep him. Per ESPN's Tim Bontemps, in order to pay Watson, Denver will likely look to move either of veteran wings Christian Braun or Cam Johnson.
Thanks to gaining a massive trade exception in sending Giannis Antetokounmpo to Miami, the Bucks are perfectly positioned to absorb Braun's or Johnson's salary, netting a fine player and perhaps even some low-end draft capital thrown in as an incentive.
Nuggets should give the Bucks a callÂ
Not only did Milwaukee acquire Tyler Herro, a trio of young players, and significant draft assets, shipping the Greek Freak and Bobby Portis to the Heat also brought back a $25.5 million trade exception. That means the Bucks can take in any money up to that amount without having to send out matching salary.Â
For the Nuggets, Johnson's contract has one year and $23 million remaining. Braun's five-year, $125 million extension will take effect next season. The Bucks could take back either player using the trade exception, allowing Denver to use that money on Watson.Â
The 23-year-old wing emerged as a star before going down with an injury last season. Because the Nuggets habitually avoid the luxury tax, they are more likely to move the necessary money to evade it than to bite the bullet and pay up, signing Watson while keeping both Braun and Johnson.
Since the Bucks would not be required to send back any additional salary, for Denver's purposes, Milwaukee should be an especially appealing trade partner. Few teams can offer that kind of opportunity. For that reason, the Nuggets might also include some supplementary draft capital, probably in the second round, to ensure the deal goes through.Â
Milwaukee would stand to gain from win-win scenario
The Bucks should be more than willing to play ball. Embarking on a rebuild, they might prefer Johnson's expiring salary, but taking on Braun's contract would not be the worst thing. Milwaukee needs a long-term solution at the wing. Braun is a solid playmaker and two-way contributor, and relieving Denver of his considerably larger financial burden could result in the Nuggets attaching better sweeteners.Â
From the Nuggets' perspective, it comes down to how badly they want to sidestep the tax and make Watson a part of their future. While it might seem that he and Braun, 25, are fairly similar players, Bontemps cites a Western Conference scout who notes Watson's dramatic impact on the roster, which manifested during his injury absence.Â
Whereas Braun took a step back last season, Watson is clearly on the rise, with All-Star upside. The Bucks should be happy to lend Denver a helping hand, and help themselves in the process.
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