Peyton Watson admits that the Nuggets rushed him back after his hamstring injury

During the 2026 Playoffs, the Denver Nuggets had to sit Peyton Watson due to a lingering hamstring injury. Earlier in the 2025-26 season, Watson sat out six weeks because of a Grade 2 hamstring strain he suffered in February. Unfortunately for him, he did not get to play in the postseason because he re-aggravated it in early April. 

Watson's agent, Rich Paul, of Klutch Sports, revealed on his Game Over podcast with Max Kellerman that he discouraged his client from rushing back. It was noted as a "business decision" ahead of his free agency. Now, Watson is enjoying his move to the Cleveland Cavaliers with a four-year $88 million contract.

Peyton Watson reveals the Nuggets rushed him back from his hamstring injury

Watson was one of the Nuggets' best players in the 2025-26 season, as he showcased that he plays impressive defense at the perimeter and in the paint. At the same time, he took an offensive leap, as he went from scoring 8.1 points a night in the 2024-25 season to a 14.6 points per game average in the following year.

His three-point shooting also took a massive leap, as he went from a 35.3% shooting split to shooting 41.1% from beyond the arc in the 2025-26 season. It is clear why he is such a massive loss for the Nuggets because he is a good fit alongside their core trio of Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, and Aaron Gordon.

MORE: Nikola Jokic gets candid about the Nuggets losing crucial player in Peyton Watson

He would have been a fantastic player during the postseason series against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Watson is the perfect matchup for Jaden McDaniels, but unfortunately, he had to sit out the series due to the re-aggravation of his injury. That is something he blames the Nuggets for because he believes he was rushed back by the team.

"I felt a little tweak in rehab, and it was a minor setback. Then I remember going out there and re-injuring my hamstring in game 80 of the season. I feel like Denver rushed it and didn’t take the right approach," Watson said on the latest episode of Michael Porter Jr.'s Curious Mike podcast.

Watson's feelings about the situation are valid, especially since it's his body. Considering he was in a contract year where he had to prove himself, he wanted to play in the Playoffs because that would have elevated his stock. Unfortunately, that did not happen, but he did still get a good payday with his sign-and-trade move to Cleveland.

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