Denver Nuggets bid farewell to 6-foot-9 brother of WNBA star following Peyton Watson sign-and-trade

The Denver Nuggets moved fast once the paperwork cleared. A little over a week after landing Julian Reese as a throw-in from Washington in the Peyton Watson sign-and-trade, Denver formally waived the 6-foot-9 forward/center on Friday, according to NBA.com's transaction log. The corner of the deal barely got the ink dry before it unwound.Reese arrived in the deal because he fit a specific structural gap: Denver sits above the league's second tax apron, and two-way contracts don't count against the cap. That made him cheap enough to absorb even for a team with no roster spot to spare. It also meant his stay was never guaranteed. For Reese, who is the brother of WNBA star Angel Reese and spent last season fighting for NBA minutes on a two-way deal in Washington, the waiver is one more stop in a path that has run through an undrafted draft class, a Summer League tryout and three organizations in under a year.CategoryDetailPlayerJulian ReesePosition/heightForward/center, 6-foot-9Current teamDenver Nuggets (waived Aug. 28, 2026)Previous teamWashington WizardsContract statusTwo-way contract, acquired via Peyton Watson sign-and-trade (Aug. 20, 2026)Nuggets waive Julian ReeseDenver's decision became official Friday when the team waived Reese, confirmed through NBA.com's transaction log. The corresponding open roster spot leaves KJ Simpson and 2026 second-round pick Bryce Hopkins as the only two-way players left on Denver's roster. Reese now has to clear waivers before he can sign elsewhere, a step that puts his next NBA opportunity in the hands of 29 other front offices before he's a true free agent again.Nuggets acquire Peyton WatsonReese only became a Nugget because Denver needed a mechanism, not a player. The Nuggets sit above the NBA's second tax apron, a status that blocks most roster additions. Two-way contracts, though, don't count against the cap, which let Denver absorb Reese's deal on Aug. 20 as part of the broader package that sent Peyton Watson to Washington in a sign-and-trade. The structural fit, not Reese's on-court role, decided his one-week tenure in Denver.Reese's brief run with the WizardsBefore the trade, Reese had shown flashes in Washington. Filling in at center for an injury-depleted frontcourt, he posted 18 points and 20 rebounds (10 offensive, 10 defensive) against Utah on March 5, the first Wizards player to do that since Antawn Jamison in 2010. He followed with 26 points and 17 rebounds against the Jazz on March 25. Across 13 games, the 23-year-old averaged 11.8 points, 10.5 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 30.9 minutes, plus 8.7 points and 7.4 rebounds over 41 G League appearances with Toronto's affiliate.Reese's ledger from the past year runs through transactions more than highlight reels: an undrafted class out of Maryland, a Summer League stint with the Lakers, an Exhibit 10 deal with Toronto in October, a two-way contract with Washington in February, and now a waiver from a team that held his rights for nine days. Clearing waivers, not his numbers, decides where he lands next.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.