The Los Angeles Lakers will only have themselves to blame if they fail to have an eventful offseason.
The 2026 offseason free agent market will be talent-filled, making it a must for the Lakers to enter the 2026-27 campaign with a stronger roster from top to bottom.
While the Lakers won’t be without competition, Lake Show Life’s Maxwell Ogden believes the franchise could steal the Denver Nuggets 23-year-old emerging two-way star guard.
“(Peyton) Watson is a dream paper fit for a Lakers roster that desperately needs defense, athleticism, shooting, and an infusion of youth,” Ogden wrote Friday. “It's even more intriguing to consider that he ranks in the 90th percentile in movement points per 75 possessions, which measures a player's off-ball activity on offense, per Basketball Index.”
“One simply can't help but wonder: For a player who has never put together a full season like this before, how much would constitute an overpay? It's difficult to put a number on it, but that's the exact job the Lakers' front office will need to do.”
“They need to toe the razor-thin line between paying enough that the Nuggets will be unable to justify matching their offer sheet and avoiding the type of contract that could drastically impact the trajectory of the Luka Doncic era if it doesn't pan out.”
Entering the 2025-26 campaign, Watson was far from a highly regarded young player who contenders would be lining up to sign during the offseason. That quickly changed when the Nuggets began suffering injuries at an alarming rate, forcing Watson to step into a more prominent role on both ends of the court.
The UCLA product answered the bell in every way imaginable, lighting it up beyond the arc, showcasing his underrated playmaking, and mucking things up on the defensive end.
Watson is averaging 14.9 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.2 blocks, and 1.0 steals per game, shooting 49.6% from the field and 41.7% from beyond the arc.
If the Lakers are desperate to add a three-and-D to their roster this summer, they should look toward Watson.
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