The Cleveland Cavaliers pulled off the trade of the offseason on Tuesday, and nobody saw it coming.
The Cavs landed 24-year-old wing Peyton Watson in a massive five-team deal that also moved Max Strus to the Clippers, sent Dennis Schroder to the Hornets, and shuffled draft capital between Denver, Cleveland, Los Angeles, Washington, and Charlotte. Watson signed a four-year, $88 million contract with a player option and trade kicker to make the move official.
Watson had been the most interesting stalled name of the summer. He was a restricted free agent who never got the offer sheet he wanted, with the Nuggets refusing to pay him and other suitors circling. The Bucks, Blazers, and Clippers all showed interest at different points. The Cavaliers were not seen as a real player until the last week.
Denver had backed itself into a corner. The Nuggets wanted to keep Watson but could not extend him at market rate without blowing past the second apron. A sign-and-trade was the only viable path, and Cleveland was the only team willing to send the assets Denver wanted.
What the Cavaliers get is a legitimate two-way wing entering his prime. Watson averaged 14.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 2.1 assists last season while playing high-level defense against opposing wings. He can guard multiple positions, he is a plus athlete, and his three-point shot is a real weapon at 37 percent from deep.
The fit next to Donovan Mitchell and James Harden is basically perfect. Cleveland has needed a big, athletic wing who can defend the LeBron James and Jayson Tatum types in the East. Watson is exactly that. He also plays hard, which is the boring but non-negotiable trait every contender needs on the wing.
The cost is real. Cleveland moved off Max Strus, one of the connective pieces of their rotation last year, and had to pull in Charlotte and Washington as third and fourth teams to route matching salary. The Cavs also lost some second-round picks in the deal. But the on-court upgrade over Strus is clear.
The Clippers get Strus, who fits their spacing needs around Kawhi Leonard, if that situation ever resolves. Denver comes away with cash flexibility and some picks. The Hornets get Schroder, who fills a real need at backup guard. The Wizards get late-round capital. Everybody moved the needle a little, which is why deals like this happen.
The bigger point is that the Cavs are all in. Between the Harden extension announced two days later, the Watson trade, and Mitchell’s continued max deal, Cleveland is committing more than $500 million to the top of the roster over the next four years. This is a title-or-bust construction now.
Kenny Atkinson has a real puzzle to solve on the offensive end. Watson is going to need touches. Harden still runs the show. Mitchell wants his shots. That is a coach problem worth having. Losing Strus hurts some of the offensive continuity, and Watson has to be ready to play alongside two other high-usage guys.
Cleveland just got scarier. The East got tighter. This one is going to age well.
A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.
