Cavaliers' Peyton Watson ruled out vs. Thunder with right hamstring tightness

Cleveland Cavaliers wing Peyton Watson was ruled out about an hour before Monday's game against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Rocket Arena. It is the first time this season the Cavaliers have ruled out Watson, a starter. The Cavs (4-2) and Thunder (4-2) met on Nov. 2. Watson is dealing with right hamstring tightness, according to the Cavaliers.

Coach says he is not overly concerned

Before the game, the Cavaliers had listed Watson as questionable. During pregame media availability, coach Kenny Atkinson said Watson would "test" his hamstring to decide whether he could play against the Thunder. Atkinson added: "Not overly concerned with it."

Start to the season

Watson was acquired from the Denver Nuggets in a sign-and-trade deal over the summer. He started each of Cleveland's first six games this season. The 24-year-old is averaging 10.8 points, four rebounds, three assists, 1.2 steals and 1.8 blocked shots per game. He is shooting 37.1% from the field and 16.7% on 3-pointers, playing 28.6 minutes a night.

Hamstring issues in Denver

Watson also dealt with hamstring problems with the Nuggets. During the 2025-26 season, he missed 25 of the final 30 regular-season games, and he did not appear in the 2026 playoffs. Denver listed him with a right hamstring injury.

Watson addressed the issue during his introductory news conference with the Cavaliers on Sept. 17. He said he had been "getting into a groove" and was having the best year of his career before the injury. "So, it was just something that was a tough pill to swallow for me, and it's something that I definitely am going to hold with me," Watson said. He added that he had taken "a completely more intentional approach to just taking care of my body and doing the little things to make sure that my availability is always there for the team."