Peyton Watson’s got next.
As the Nuggets marched to their first championship, Watson’s contributions were more of the intangible variety.
Nuggets coach Michael Malone stuck to his primary eight-man rotation in the playoffs, and it worked. But having lost Bruce Brown and Jeff Green in free agency, there’s a pathway — and maybe an expectation — that Watson’s time is coming.
The Nuggets opened training camp on Monday afternoon at Ball Arena ahead of their jaunt to Las Vegas for Summer League later this week. Jamal Murray was also in the gym, honing his shooting, meeting the young guys, and talking through plays with the team’s rookies. Perhaps Murray was trying to speed up their learning curve since if the Nuggets are going to repeat, they’re going to need significant developmental steps from guys like Watson. Murray stepped in and ran full-court with the guys in attendance.
Watson, the second-year forward from UCLA, said he was making it a point to use his experience to help guide Denver’s Summer League roster.
“Leadership, talking, playing hard, getting myself in good shape, getting stronger, getting ready for training camp in the fall,” Watson said of his plans for Vegas.
Individually, Watson said he wanted to refine his 3-point shooting, become more consistent on the offensive end and establish who he was going to be as an offensive player in the NBA. Not that that growth happens over a week and a half in Las Vegas, but the foundation can be set.
“The defense comes naturally to me,” he said.
There’s no better proving ground than Summer League, where teams can experiment with lineups and tinker with skill sets. Point guard Peyton? Nuggets Summer League coach John Beckett, an assistant on Malone’s staff, said he was learning about his new role just as his players were.
But he made no secrets about his plans for Watson, whose rangy skillset is oozing with talent that just needs seasoning.
“Yeah, Peyton’s always had a certain hunger,” Beckett said. “Peyton’s always been very confident, always wanted to play. So now he’s getting the opportunity to get out there and a lot of the offense will revolve around him and defensively he’ll take the challenge of guarding a lot of the opposing team’s best players.”
In other words, Beckett intends to cater the offense to Watson in order to unleash and enhance his playmaking. Given the departure of two rotation pieces in free agency, Watson should have an opportunity to earn minutes next season. The first step will be his play in Summer League, where the keys to the offense will be his. Yes, guards Jalen Pickett and Collin Gillespie will be dictating, but Watson should be featured in the offense.
Beckett said he also wants to see Watson embrace his standing as a second-year pro. That includes pulling guys aside if they’re struggling in addition to leading drills on the court. Beckett deemed it the professional side of being in the NBA.
“Obviously Peyton will be a huge part of our future going forward,” Beckett said.
Watson said he’d miss Brown, who happened to be his neighbor before he accepted a lucrative deal with the Indiana Pacers. Watson was thrilled for Brown in that he got the money he deserved, yet he recognized the circumstances before him.
“It definitely means opportunity for me and the rest of the guys,” Watson said. “…I’m still making a name for myself in this league.”
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