NBA News August 20: Watson-Strus trade, DeRozan to Jokic?

August seemed to have finally slowed down the NBA trade market. Then the Cavaliers arrived, and within a matter of hours, Peyton Watson, Max Strus, Cam Whitmore and Tre Mann changed teams.

Cleveland finally found the wing it had been pursuing for weeks, but it didn’t stop there. The Denver Nuggets decided not to invest in a new deal for Watson and are now immediately turning their attention to a major veteran still available on the market: DeMar DeRozan.

Peyton Watson to the Cavaliers: Cleveland puts $88 million on the table

This time, we’re no longer talking about interest, phone calls or potential sign-and-trades. Peyton Watson will be a Cleveland Cavaliers player.

Cleveland reached an agreement with Denver on a sign-and-trade that will send the 23-year-old to Ohio on a new four-year, $88 million contract, including a player option and trade kicker. The Nuggets, meanwhile, will receive a fully unprotected Cavaliers 2031 first-round pick and a Kings 2032 second-round pick.

Max Strus leaves Cleveland and heads to the Clippers

To make it all work, someone had to go. Max Strus is leaving the Cavaliers and joining the Los Angeles Clippers, who are able to absorb his contract through a trade exception.

And this doesn’t appear to be just a stop along the way.

Los Angeles views Strus as a player who will genuinely be part of the rotation: shooting, playoff experience and the ability to do a little bit of everything could become valuable on a team with several question marks.

Cleveland, meanwhile, loses a player who was highly regarded in the locker room and by the fans. But when the opportunity to acquire Watson came up, the front office decided that adding size and athleticism on the wings was more important.

And the Cavs also get Cam Whitmore

Thought it was over? Not even close.

As part of the expanded deal, Cleveland sent Tre Mann, a 2027 Clippers second-round pick and cash to the Washington Wizards, receiving Cam Whitmore in return. Washington also sent Julian Reese to Denver, where he is expected to be waived from his two-way contract.

The result is that Cleveland comes out of the day with Watson and Whitmore, two young, athletic wings with room to grow.

Whitmore is only 22 and is coming off a season that was also complicated by physical issues, but offensive talent has never been the problem.

For a team that wants to win now, adding a potential starter in Watson and another young player to develop in Whitmore at the same time is a particularly intriguing gamble.

Denver lands the pick and immediately looks to DeRozan

The Nuggets chose not to invest $88 million in Watson, brought home an unprotected 2031 first-round pick, and now appear ready to completely shift their focus.

According to Chris Haynes, the Denver Nuggets have their eyes on DeMar DeRozan, who remains available on the market and is also being monitored by other contenders.

The Denver Nuggets have shifted their focus and now have their eyes on DeMar DeRozan, a six-time All-Star who remains a free agent and is highly sought after by teams looking to compete for a championship

Chris Haynes

We’re still in rumor territory, so there’s no reason to assume an imminent deal. But the offensive fit is easy to understand.

The Nuggets need someone who can create offense when Nikola Jokic rests or when the offense stalls. Even at 37, DeRozan remains one of the league’s most natural players when it comes to creating his own shot off the dribble.

The complicated part would be everything else: role, defense, minutes and, above all, the contract. But after moving on from Watson, Denver appears intent on using its resources differently.

Washington makes another change

The Wizards are also involved in all of this. Washington sends Whitmore to Cleveland and receives Tre Mann, a 2027 second-round pick and cash, adding another guard to the roster.

It’s not a trade that shifts the balance of power in the Eastern Conference, but it continues to show just how dramatically Washington has reshaped its project.

Anthony Davis and Trae Young have become the team’s primary focal points, while the front office continues to look for players and contracts that allow it to maintain flexibility in the years ahead.

Cleveland has decided to go for it

In the end, though, Cleveland is the team that comes out of this day the most transformed. Watson and Whitmore are in. Strus and Mann are out. A significant future first-round pick is gone.

This is not a conservative move.

The Cavaliers have Donovan Mitchell in the prime of his career, Evan Mobley having just entered his own superstar phase, and James Harden expected to remain. Waiting another two or three years would have made little sense.

Cleveland has chosen to put more chips on the table.

That’s all for today. NBA News by Dunkest returns tomorrow with new news and all the truly important updates from around the NBA.