The vibes surrounding the Grizzlies couldn't be better after a strong start to Summer League and the fact that the identity of the roster is likely changing for the better. But the Grizzlies are still not close to finalizing their roster quite yet. With the Isaiah Stewart trade set to become official soon, the Grizzlies could have another surprise trade target in Denver's Peyton Watson.
One thing that is clear from this offseason is that the Grizzlies have been one of the busiest teams across the whole league. The Grizzlies added Cam Boozer, Karim Lopez, and Richie Saunders in the 2026 NBA Draft, but they have also been extremely busy on the trade front. Not long after acquiring Isaiah Stewart, the team also traded Santi Aldama and franchise star Ja Morant.
Despite all those moves, there is still work to be done for the Grizzlies to get to 15 roster spots. Jerami Grant should be a key piece for this year's team, but other players acquired via trade, such as Kris Murray and AJ Johnson, have unclear futures in Memphis. Taj Gibson could realistically be waived, and there have been recent rumors of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope being traded or bought out.
Still, the Grizzlies may have just been given a new lifeline to get even stronger this offseason.
A Peyton Watson trade is worth exploring despite any roster crunch
Yes, it will be key to trim roster spots, but why not explore the idea of acquiring Peyton Watson? The expectation throughout the offseason is that Denver would match any offers for Peyton Watson given that he is a restricted free agent. But Sam Amick's latest report could end up giving a slight bit of hope that Peyton Watson could be acquired in a trade. Amick had the following to say:
"Yet as the Nuggets and Watson’s agent, Rich Paul of the Klutch Sports Group, have continued to be apart in negotiations for a new contract, sources say Denver is also very open to the prospect of a sign-and-trade for the 23-year-old forward." - Sam Amick, The Athletic
Amick went on to mention that several teams have sign-and-trade interest in Peyton Watson, but Denver hopes to retain him. He also mentioned that the Denver front office has not been given a mandate to cut costs despite recent rumors that they could shed salary to avoid the second apron.
However, the fact that there is some noise about a potential sign-and-trade is enough that the Grizzlies should consider the possibility. If the Nuggets end up looking to avoid the second apron, the Grizzlies still have their entire $28.9M TPE available and one of the best collections of draft assets in the NBA if they can't go the player route in any deal.
Peyton Watson will be 24 years old next season and is coming off his best season as a pro, averaging 14.6 points, 4 rebounds, 4.9 assists, and 2 stocks (steals and blocks) per game. Listed at 6 foot 8 and 200 pounds, Watson is an athletic wing who has flashed some legitimate two-way potential and could still make another significant leap. It also helps that he shot 41.1% from three after playing 54 games.
Grizzlies fans already have a lot to be excited about, but joining the Peyton Watson sweepstakes could top off what has already been an incredible offseason.
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