Losing Watson Is a Major Blow, but Nuggets Must Face the Future Rationally

According to reporter Bruno Feliks, Denver Nuggets assistant coach Ognjen Stojakovic recently discussed the team's loss of Peyton Watson this summer in an interview.

Stojakovic said: “Of course, losing a high-level player like this is never easy. Right now, we have two choices: on one hand, we can feel frustrated about it; on the other hand, I prefer to accept reality and actively think about the next steps. Based on that, we need to continue rebuilding the team and find the right methods and direction to challenge for the championship again.”

In last season's NBA regular season, Watson played 54 games for the Nuggets, including 40 starts. He averaged 29.6 minutes per game and posted 14.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 0.9 steals and 1.1 blocks. In addition, Watson averaged 1.7 turnovers and 2.5 fouls per game; he shot 49.1% from the field, 41.1% from three-point range and 73.0% from the free-throw line. Unfortunately, Watson was unable to play during the playoffs due to injury, which undoubtedly affected the Nuggets' competitiveness and overall performance in the postseason.

After this loss, Watson joined the Cleveland Cavaliers this summer through a sign-and-trade deal. This change means the Nuggets will need to show courage and wisdom when facing a difficult situation and work to embrace new challenges.