Nuggets Role Player Discusses Changing Role on Team

The Denver Nuggets' injuries over the last few weeks may have been a blessing in disguise. Christian Braun, Aaron Gordon, and now Nikola Jokic have all missed significant time recently, and it has been hard to find a positive spin on the Nuggets' poor injury luck. However, there may be a bit of light in the Nuggets’ dark injury tunnel.

With all of those key players out of the lineup at different times this season, the Nuggets have been able to watch some of their role players step into larger roles and thrive. No role player has embodied the next-man-up mentality better than Peyton Watson.

Watson has seen his role expand with the Nuggets’ injuries, and he has been thriving. Last season, he was averaging only 8.1 points and 3.4 rebounds per game. Over the last ten games for the Nuggets, he has averaged 22.3 points and 6.2 rebounds per game. Watson spoke about adjusting to a larger role. 

"At the end of the day, it's hard. It's a hard adjustment, going from being the sixth or seventh man off the bench, right, to being the second option. That's something that I'm adjusting to. And I've done really well at a lot of things, and there are some areas where I need to improve… I love the responsibility and everything that comes with it. You want to blame it on me when we lose and give me the credit when we win—that's fine."

Watson is obviously thriving on the court in his new role, but he is also enjoying the challenge. Watson getting this experience now could be huge for the Nuggets once their whole roster is healthy again.