Denver will receive an unprotected 2031 first-round pick from the Cavaliers and a 2032 second-round pick from the Sacramento Kings.

Watson, who averaged a career-high 14.6 points per game in 2025-26, will ​sign a four-year, $88 million contract as part of the sign-and-trade transaction, his ​agent told ESPN.

The Clippers, Milwaukee Bucks, and Portland Trail Blazers also ⁠expressed interest in Watson, but Denver and Cleveland finalized the deal with Watson's ​agents on Wednesday. The deal includes a player option and a trade kicker.

Los Angeles ​will send Cleveland a 2027 second-round pick, which it acquired from the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for Johni Broome, thereby allowing the Clippers to pick up Strus via a trade exception.

The ​Cavs will also send Tre Mann, who they just acquired from the Charlotte ​Hornets for Dennis Schroder, along with the 2027 second-rounder from Los Angeles to the Washington Wizards, ‌reports ⁠indicated.

Watson, an outstanding two-way player, also averaged career highs in rebounds, assists, and steals in 2025-26 and increased his 3-point field goals made from 48 in 2024-25 to 81 last season. He scored 30 or more points four times during the ​season, including three in ​January, when Nikola ⁠Jokic was out of the lineup.

Watson started 40 of 54 games last season and has 64 career starts in 225 games. ​He boosted his career scoring average to 8.7 points per ​game.

Strus, 30, ⁠played the last three seasons in Cleveland, after spending three in Miami and one in Chicago. He played in a dozen games after returning from injury in 2025-26, ⁠averaging ​11.2 points per game. Strus converted 33 of 82 (40.2%) ​from behind the arc and has made 742 treys in his last six seasons.

Strus has played in ​321 games (161 starts) and averaged 10.4 points and 3.5 rebounds per game.

--Field Level Media