Cavaliers trade Send Max Strus to Clippers, acquire Peyton Watson
BY JOEY SCHNEIDER
STAFF
(CLEVELAND, OH) - The Cleveland Cavaliers have made their biggest deal this off-season by way of a four-team trade that landed them their possible new starting small forward in 23-year-old Peyton Watson from the Denver Nuggets and Cam Whitmore from the Washington Wizards. The Los Angeles Clippers received Max Strus from the Cavs. The Denver Nuggets received forward Julian Reese, an unprotected first round pick from the Cavs (2031), and a second-round pick (2032). The Wizards acquired guard Tre Mann from the Cavs, along with a 2027 second round pick, and cash considerations.
Peyton Watson who is coming off of the best season of his career. The former first round pick of the Oklahoma City Thunder (30th overall) out of UCLA in 2022 averaged 15 points per game, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists, while coming off the bench for the Nuggets. He is an elite defender, able to stifle shooting guards, small forwards, and power forwards. Watson has improved his offense and by extension, points per game in each of his first four years in the league, with last season shooting 41% from the three-point line and being able to use his size and athleticism to get the rim more often.
The Cavaliers also acquired forward 22-year-old Cam Whitmore in the deal. The Villanova product, drafted in the first round by the Houston Rockets (20the overall) in 2023, has spent the first three seasons of his career coming off the bench. Last season he averaged almost 10 points and three rebounds in 16 minutes per game for the Washington Wizards.
The Cavaliers have been linked to Peyton Watson for nearly a month now. Watson has all the tools necessary to become a starting small forward in the NBA. The Cavs now need to turn their attention to resigning the extremely patient James Harden. With a full training camp this season with Harden, plus the additions of Peyton Watson, Mario Hezonja, and Cam Whitmore, in addition to the development of players such as Jaylon Tyson, Tyrese Proctor, and rookie Maleek Thomas, the Cavaliers are now a younger team and, in their minds, better than the team who was swept by the New York Knicks this past season in the Eastern Conference Finals..
POSTED 08/19/2026 23:18
Lake County Sentinel
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