The proposed four-team trade would send Peyton Watson to the Bucks, Kevin Porter Jr. and draft capital to the Nuggets, and high-flying center Jericho Sims to the Lakers.
The highly anticipated Peyton Watson offseason saga continues, with major uncertainty still surrounding whether the breakout forward will remain with the Denver Nuggets next season.
Several potential outcomes have already been floated publicly, while multiple teams have emerged as possible landing spots for Watson.
Among the clubs most frequently linked with the 23-year-old are the Milwaukee Bucks, who could pursue him through a sign-and-trade agreement.
NBA analyst Jake Weinbach has proposed a four-team trade framework that would send Watson to Milwaukee while also involving the Utah Jazz and Los Angeles Lakers.
Proposed four-team trade
Bucks receive:
Peyton Watson
Zeke Nnaji
Nuggets receive:
Kevin Porter Jr.
2027 second-round pick (via MIL)
2027 second-round pick (via DEN from UTA)
2029 second-round pick (via UTA)
2033 second-round pick (via LAL)
Jazz receive:
AJ Green
Lakers receive:
Jericho Sims
What the trade would give the Bucks
Peyton Watson
Peyton Watson
Milwaukee would receive the centerpiece of the deal in Watson, adding a 23-year-old two-way forward who could immediately take on a major role.
Watson would provide the Bucks with athleticism, defensive versatility, transition scoring, and improved floor spacing. His development as a three-point shooter would make him particularly attractive as a forward capable of contributing without dominating the ball.
Milwaukee would also absorb Nnaji’s contract, which would serve as part of the price for convincing Denver to cooperate. Nnaji could provide additional frontcourt depth, but his inclusion would primarily help the Nuggets reduce their long-term financial commitments.
The Bucks would sacrifice three rotation players in Porter, Green, and Sims, along with a second-round pick. However, they would avoid giving up one of their more valuable first-round selections while acquiring the best and youngest player in the proposed deal.
Nuggets gain flexibility but lose breakout forward
Kevin Porter Jr
Credit Getty Images via AFP - Scanpix
For Denver, the greatest benefit would be financial flexibility.
Moving Watson would prevent the Nuggets from committing to the expensive contract he is seeking, while including Nnaji would allow them to remove another guaranteed salary from their books.
Porter could provide immediate scoring and ball-handling off the bench, areas Denver would need to address after losing several rotation players. The four second-round picks would also restore some flexibility for future trades.
However, the return would appear modest compared with Denver’s reported demands. None of the proposed draft assets are first-round selections, while Porter would not necessarily qualify as the high-level player the Nuggets have reportedly sought.
Denver would also lose one of its best young players and a valuable defensive wing entering his prime. Watson’s absence due to injury was felt during the Nuggets’ first-round playoff elimination, highlighting how important his size and athleticism had become to their rotation.
Jazz add much-needed shooting
Utah would receive Green, one of Milwaukee’s most reliable perimeter shooters, in exchange for two second-round picks.
Green would provide immediate floor spacing and could receive an expanded role with the Jazz. His ability to operate as a movement shooter and punish defenses off the catch would make him a useful complementary player around Utah’s younger creators.
For the Bucks, sending Green to a third team would help generate additional draft compensation for Denver without Milwaukee surrendering a first-round pick.
Lakers receive frontcourt depth
Jericho Sims
Jericho Sims
The Lakers would acquire Sims for a 2033 second-round selection.
Sims would give Los Angeles another athletic center capable of running the floor, finishing above the rim, and providing energy on the glass. He would represent a relatively inexpensive frontcourt addition without requiring the Lakers to sacrifice a current rotation player.
His role would likely depend on the rest of Los Angeles’ roster construction, but the price of a distant second-round pick would make the move a low-risk attempt to strengthen the team’s center depth.
Ultimately, the proposed framework offers clear benefits for all four teams, but Denver’s valuation of Watson remains the biggest obstacle. Unless the Nuggets lower their demands further, a package centered on Porter and second-round picks may not be enough to convince them to send Watson to Milwaukee.
Major gap remains between Watson and Nuggets
Peyton Watson
Peyton Watson
Denver reportedly offered Watson a five-year, $70 million contract, worth an average of $14 million per season.
However, the 23-year-old is believed to be seeking a deal closer to – or exceeding – the five-year, $125 million extension Christian Braun previously received from the Nuggets.
Denver still values Watson and would prefer to retain him, but the franchise’s second-apron situation has complicated negotiations. Watson could also accept his $6.5 million qualifying offer, return for one more season, and become an unrestricted free agent in 2027.
The Milwaukee Bucks, Atlanta Hawks, and Los Angeles Clippers have all been linked with potential sign-and-trade pursuits. Denver reportedly sought two first-round picks earlier in the process, although more recent reports indicated that its asking price had moved toward a notable rotation player and a first-round selection.
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