Photo: Denver Nuggets/YouTube

Peyton Watson says his absence from the 2026 NBA playoffs followed a difficult hamstring rehabilitation in which he felt pressure to return before he was fully comfortable with his recovery.

Speaking with former teammate Michael Porter Jr. on Curious Mike, Watson described the emotional impact of suffering a Grade 2 left hamstring strain after what had been the best season of his NBA career.

“It was really, really tough, the entire process of my rehab,” Watson said, via HoopsHype. “Obviously, when I got injured in New York, it was just a sickening feeling because I was up to win Most Improved Player award and up for a lot of stuff. It really hurt.”

Watson averaged career highs of 14.6 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 54 games for Denver, including 40 starts. He shot 49.1% from the field and 41.1% from three-point range on 3.6 attempts per game.

The 23-year-old said he felt Denver accelerated his rehabilitation several weeks after the injury.

“Two or three weeks into my rehab, I felt like they were ramping me back up too quickly,” Watson said. “But at the same time, I know that I’m young, and I do heal pretty fast.”

Watson said he experienced another issue while working his way back onto the court with the coaching staff.

“Two or three weeks into my hamstring rehab, I was out there playing with the coaches and I just felt a little tweak,” Watson said. “I felt like that was kind of a minor setback that I didn’t really want to accept.”

He also acknowledged feeling pressure to return before the postseason.

“I remember feeling pressure to get back and get some games under my belt to warm up before the playoffs,” Watson said.

Watson eventually returned after missing more than six weeks and appeared in five games on restricted minutes, but Denver shut him down again in early April. He did not play in the postseason as the third-seeded Nuggets lost their first-round series to Minnesota in six games.

His agent, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, later said he discouraged Watson from returning because of the risks associated with soft-tissue injuries. Paul said players sometimes need to be protected from their own desire to compete, particularly when a postseason run and an upcoming contract are involved.

The situation drew additional attention because Aaron Gordon was also dealing with a hamstring injury but appeared in three playoff games. Some within the Nuggets reportedly believed Watson could have returned, while Watson’s comments provide more detail about the setbacks he experienced during rehabilitation.

Watson entered the offseason seeking a significant raise after his breakout year. Denver reportedly offered four years and $70 million before ultimately moving him to Cleveland in an August sign-and-trade.