After a surprisingly successful season with the Denver Nuggets, 17-year veteran Russell Westbrook looked as if he had finally found the perfect landing spot for the twilight of his career.
The former league MVP arguably played his best basketball since leaving the Oklahoma City Thunder, thriving alongside Nuggets centerpiece Nikola Jokic in a role that accentuated his strengths as a dynamic playmaker while masking his weaknesses, thereby allowing him to significantly reduce his live-ball turnovers by making better decisions with the basketball. He also continued a journey he had started with the Los Angeles Clippers. By embracing a less featured role, he drastically improved his defensive effort, transforming into a player more than capable of contributing to a championship-caliber team.
Russell Westbrook, Nuggets Need To Swallow Their Pride And Reunite
In 2024-25, Westbrook delivered precisely what Denver desperately needed: explosive playmaking and infectious energy, especially in the regular season.
With the team lacking any reliable playmakers beyond Jokic and Jamal Murray, and the latter not truly being a model of consistency, Westbrook crucially provided another source of offensive creation. His familiar shortcomings eventually reemerged in the postseason. However, his contributions throughout the season were key. With him earning just the veteran’s minimum salary, he was also one of the best value contracts last season.
This made his decision to decline his $3.4 million player option all the more disappointing. Having gambled on a payday that never materialized, Westbrook now finds himself with dwindling options. At present, a potential move to the Sacramento Kings appears to be his most realistic path to remain in the NBA. Yet, given how the situation has unfolded, it’s worth asking whether a reunion with the Nuggets is actually the best outcome for all parties.
The Best Outcome?
For Westbrook, re-signing with Denver is an opportunity to continue flourishing with a team that allowed him to best showcase his strengths, especially given the remarkable on-court chemistry he developed with Jokic. Keep in mind, the Westbrook-Jokic duo outscored opponents by +7.8 points per 100 possessions last season. For the Nuggets, re-signing Westbrook means locking in a proven veteran who has embraced and excelled in a backup role. He stabilizes their rotation and bolsters their championship ambitions.
With that being said, Denver has made savvy moves this summer. Not only did they flip Michael Porter Jr. for Cam Johnson, they added Jonas Valanciunas, Bruce Brown, and Tim Hardaway Jr. to provide the depth they were sorely lacking. Yet, backup point guard remains their most pressing need.
To reiterate, Murray’s injury history heightens the need for another dynamic on-ball creator, especially since Julian Strawther and Jalen Pickett have yet to prove they can play at a high enough level in that capacity. Brown is invaluable as a versatile role player, but expecting him to act as the primary offensive outlet for the second unit is a severe overestimation of his ball-handling capabilities. Imperfect as he is, Westbrook fills that gap better than anyone else currently on the roster.
Was There More to the Story?
If the on-court fit was so idyllic, why did the two sides ultimately part ways? Based on prior reporting, Westbrook may have worn out his welcome in the locker room. Controversial ESPN insider Ramona Shelburne’s now notorious piece on the Nuggets locker room drama was publicly dismissed by Aaron Gordon at the time. However, in hindsight—and given where things stand now—it may have contained more truth than the team wanted to admit at the time.
Furthermore, the Nuggets have a track record of moving on quickly from players who disrupt their carefully cultivated locker room culture. Four-time All-Star selection DeMarcus Cousins and 2021 first-round pick Bones Hyland are prime examples. Both showed they could make a significant difference, especially the former, but the behind-the-scenes friction outweighed the benefits. That being said, Westbrook has long been respected across the league as a teammate and leader, making it difficult to believe that he burned bridges to a similar extent.
Even Shelburne’s article suggests the core issues arose from Malone’s preferential treatment of Westbrook and his occasional mood swings—hardly unmanageable problems. Emotional chafing is inevitable over the course of an NBA season, and it shouldn’t overshadow the success both sides achieved together.
The Last Word On Russell Westbrook Reuniting With Nuggets
It makes little sense for Westbrook to join the Kings, a team yet to exorcise their regular season demons. The notion of him finishing his career overseas carries intrigue; his passionate performances would certainly resonate in basketball hotbeds like Istanbul or Athens. Still, the most logical landing spot remains Denver, where he can continue to chase his first NBA championship.
Again, the nine-time All-Star isn’t just going to be there to mentor their young guards, mirroring the over-the-hill veterans who are more coach than player at this point of their career. He’ll steady a second unit that —thanks to the added offensive weapons —has a lot more firepower than they did last season. Meanwhile, Denver has yet to adequately replace what Westbrook provided last season.
The solution feels obvious.
© Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
The post Russell Westbrook, Old Team Need To Swallow Pride And Reunite appeared first on Last Word On Basketball.