Denver Nuggets emerging small forward Peyton Watson will miss extended time with a grade 2 hamstring strain, league sources told The Athletic.
The Nuggets will now be without arguably their two best forwards, with Aaron Gordon also missing time.
Watson’s emergence happened this season due to injuries that forced him to take on a more prominent role. The injury list for the Nuggets, who are fighting for positioning in the Western Conference, is long. Gordon, Nikola Jokić, Christian Braun and Cam Johnson have missed extended time due to various injuries.
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Watson has played in 49 games this season and is averaging a career-best 15 points per game. He’s emerged as a trusted starter in head coach David Adelman’s rotation. The former first-round pick has positioned to the forefront of Most Improved Player discussions.
Watson, who will be a restricted free agent this summer, is expected to miss at least three weeks, according to league sources. Still, that’s the most optimistic timeline. Realistically, especially with a hamstring, Watson could miss at least a month. He is expected to seek another opinion in the coming days, league sources say.