One of the most coveted archetypes in the NBA is versatile defensive forwards with a bit of pop on the offensive end. Whether that be passing, shooting, finishing, or some combination of skills. Calvin Booth saw that and looked to UCLA’s Peyton Watson. A one-and-done who had averaged just 3.3 points per game in college on 32.2% from the field. He was buried behind a lot of veterans on a depth chart and said, “I barely got to play there [at UCLA]…it was almost like basketball got taken away from me.”
For young players, playing time is essential to their development. Not only did he not get time at UCLA, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he wasn’t able to partake in his senior year in high school. Not being able to get regular playing time during the most important period of a player’s career in terms of development can be detrimental. Peyton has been able to turn that around though.
He didn’t get to play in preseason, and missed a good amount of training camp with a hamstring injury. So, when he first reentered the lineup for the Nuggets, he didn’t have his legs under him yet. The shot looked bad, the rim finishing wasn’t there – but since the calendar turned over to November, he’s looked like the player we expected to come in to the season as. Since taking over as a starter for Aaron Gordon, he’s played in 8 games where he’s averaged 13.5 points per game, 4.8 rebounds per game, and 1.4 blocks per game. All that while having a 66% true shooting percentage.
When I asked Coach Malone about how putting Peyton Watson on Kyrie Irving helped spark a near comeback against the Mavericks on Friday he said, “Well, I thought Peyton for the whole game, for the individual match-up, I thought Peyton’s defense on Kyrie Irving was one of the more tougher covers in the whole NBA. I thought Peyton’s defense throughout the whole night was outstanding.”
It’s clear that Malone trusts Peyton to play in those big moments and to deal with tough defensive assignments when he needs to make adjustments. That’s big, considering that for Malone to play young guys – they need to earn those minutes. Peyton’s done that. He goes out and gives it his all every single night. He’s closed games for the Nuggets even dating back to last season at times. Malone likes to play winners, and he is one.
The blocks he gets are mesmerizing, a flourish that the Nuggets haven’t often had on the defensive end. A human highlight waiting to happen. A spring coiling up to send a shot into the third row. According to Cleaning The Glass, he’s blocking 1.9% of all shots that happen when he’s on the floor. That’s in the 96th percentile. He is a special defender. The physical tools, the intuition, the drive, the desire – it’s all there for him. That was what made Calvin Booth draft him. Now he’s figuring out the other end too.
This season, he’s shooting 50% from the corners. Teams are leaving him open, and he’s making them pay. On the season as a whole, he’s shooting 38.5% from beyond the arc. As a starter, it’s skyrocketed to 48.1%. He’s become someone that defenses might have to start paying attention to. If they force him to drive, he’s done well at the rim too – shooting 71% there as a starter. Those were his two biggest weaknesses, and he’s addressing them. If this growth is legit, then he’s a bonafide playoff rotation player, and the Nuggets are in desperate need for whatever playoff players they can get their hands on.
The ascension of Peyton Watson is here. Get your stock while you can. Get in while the getting is good, because soon enough he’s going to be providing the Nuggets with the highlights and much, much more.
