The Los Angeles Lakers were reportedly much more than casual observers in the Peyton Watson situation.
According to LA insider Anthony F. Irwin, the Lakers were closely tracking Watson's restricted free agency before he eventually landed with the Cleveland Cavaliers in a sign-and-trade with the Denver Nuggets.
"I'm told the Lakers really, really liked Peyton Watson and were closely monitoring that situation throughout all of it as it was playing out," Irwin said on his podcast.
Watson ultimately did not become available to Los Angeles.
The Cavs move ended any realistic Lakers path to Watson, but Irwin made clear that Los Angeles had been preparing for a different outcome.
"The Lakers were monitoring this very, very closely," Irwin said. "They were watching to see if Peyton Watson would eventually wind up on the qualifying offer there in Denver. And had he landed or remained in Denver on the qualifying offer, the Lakers were ready to pounce."
Lakers built flexibility with Watson in mind
Irwin connected the Lakers' interest in Watson to the way they structured their offseason contracts.
According to Irwin, Los Angeles signed deals that decrease slightly next season, helping preserve future flexibility. That was not accidental.
"The Lakers' contracts – the contracts that they signed this year – a lot of them, if not all of them, dip a little bit so that they have some financial flexibility next season," Irwin said.
"And that financial flexibility was, at least, put together in theory with Peyton Watson as one of the players they had in mind."
That makes Watson more than just another missed target. He appears to have been one of the specific names behind the Lakers' long-term planning.
For a roster built around Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, Watson would have made sense as a young, athletic wing who could defend, run in transition, and fill gaps without needing the ball.
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Nuggets did not want to help Lakers
The Lakers' interest in Watson also connects to a bigger theme: Denver's unwillingness to help Los Angeles improve.
Irwin said the Nuggets had other ways to clear money, including possible moves involving Cam Johnson, another player the Lakers liked.
"Cam Johnson was somebody that the Lakers liked," Irwin said.
However, Irwin added that Denver was not interested in solving its salary problem in a way that helped the Lakers.
"The Nuggets were never going to, as I've been telling everybody – as it was the case with Oklahoma City – they did not want to help the Lakers get better, even in their efforts to trade away salary," Irwin said.
"The Nuggets did not want to trade or help the Lakers even if it would have helped them clear salary," Irwin added.
The Lakers' eyes are now on Jonathan Kuminga.