Peyton Watson’s move from Denver to Cleveland did not sever one of the relationships that defined his first four NBA seasons.
The new Cavaliers wing responded publicly Monday after Aaron Gordon spent part of a weekend media session explaining why the two remain close, describing Gordon as salt of the Earth and saying he could not fully convey “how grateful I am for the brotherhood me and AG have.”
Salt of the earth! Cant say how grateful I am for the brotherhood me and AG have 💪🏾 https://t.co/Y00JHkkgXA
— Peyton Watson (@peytonwatson_) September 14, 2026
Gordon’s comments surfaced Sunday evening, when DNVR Nuggets reporter Harrison Wind posted video of the Denver forward addressing Watson’s departure.
Aaron Gordon on Peyton Watson:
"That's my dog. It's deeper than basketball with Peyton and I. Our family members go to the same church. Peyton is like my brother. Happy for him, the situation that he's in."
"Obviously we would have loved to have him. But it worked out the way… pic.twitter.com/mt1DLpckX9
— Harrison Wind (@HarrisonWind) September 13, 2026
“It’s deeper than basketball with Peyton and I,” Gordon said, going on to note that the two players’ families attend the same church and that he regards Watson as a brother.
Gordon added that the Nuggets would have preferred to keep him, but that he was happy with the situation Watson landed in.
The situation is a four-year, $88 million contract with a player option and a trade kicker, which Watson signed in August as part of a multi-team sign-and-trade. Denver received an unprotected 2031 first-round pick and a 2032 second-rounder from Cleveland in the deal, which also routed Max Strus to the Los Angeles Clippers.
Watson had played his entire career next to Gordon, who spent most of that stretch starting ahead of him at forward. That changed last season, when Watson started a career-high 40 games and set personal bests with 14.6 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game.
Cleveland targeted him specifically as the wing to fill the hole left when LeBron James chose Philadelphia over a third Cavaliers stint and Dean Wade followed him there in free agency.
None of that is news to Cavaliers fans, who have spent a month reading about what Watson’s athleticism and defense could mean for a team coming off an Eastern Conference finals sweep. What the weekend exchange adds is a look at what he gave up to get here, and a reminder that the player Cleveland is betting $88 million on left Denver on good enough terms that his closest teammate is publicly rooting for him.
