When asked what the current roster lacks most, David Adelman had a simple reply: “Shooting.” Later, while explaining the changes he hopes to implement on offense, he highlighted a slower pace that emphasizes execution.
While in full agreement with Adelman, I couldn’t help but notice that there’s a player who doesn't fit either of his criteria. Sorry, Russell Westbrook.
Look, no matter what side of the Westbrook fence you land on, you have to admire the passion and energy that have come to define the career of the former MVP. But Shooting? A slower pace? Offensive execution? Well, let’s just say none of those words are going to be used to describe him by peers or coaches at his future Hall-of-Fame induction ceremony.
While Adelman fielded numerous questions during his introductory press conference as the new head coach of the Denver Nuggets, he seemed like a guy fully aware of the stakes heading into a sink or swim 2025-2026 season, where anything short of Nikola Jokic raising a second Lombardi trophy above his head will go down as failure. And one has to wonder whether Denver can afford to continue relying on the turbulent Russ, who more often than not makes the analytics nerds shake their heads in disgust.
No doubt, he had a terrific series in round one against the Los Angeles Clippers, getting sweet, sweet revenge against his former squad. And his decision to quickly push the ball ahead and fire a cross-court pass to Aaron Gordon in the waning seconds of Game 1 versus the Oklahoma City Thunder set up Gordon for one of the most memorable shots in franchise history.
Does Westbrook fit into the Nuggets' future?
But Westbrook, who will turn 37 next season, was a complete no-show for the rest of the OKC series. Apart from his atrocious .348-.219-.696 shooting splits, he also had more turnovers (18) than assists (17) to go along with a pedestrian 9.9 ppg over the span of the 7-game series. Yuck.
While it’s more than fair to assign some of the blame for his drop in efficiency to the breaks in his right hand, it doesn’t change the fact that Denver has to surround Jokic with better shooters moving forward if they are serious about getting a second title.
Unfortunately for Denver, Westbrook has a player option for next season, and he can remain a Nugget if he so pleases. If you’re Russ, and the last thing missing from an impressive trophy case is a championship ring, trying your luck in Denver isn’t a bad option. But if Westbrook, who was not one of the Nuggets in attendance for Wednesday's press conference, heard about Adelman’s wish list for next year’s roster, I’m guessing he wouldn’t exactly feel like he’s being welcomed back with open arms.
Back in April, after Westbrook’s rollercoaster Game 1 against the Los Angeles Clippers, Adelman acknowledged postgame that “Russ is gonna be Russ” and that “He’s not changing who he is”.
Westbrook is not going to suddenly morph into the off-ball shooter or steady decision maker Denver needs, nor is he going to stop playing like the Tasmanian Devil on Red Bull. And yes, he can choose to remain a Nugget, but the writing is on the wall. After a nice bounce-back year, it’s time for him to move on. The Nuggets' young new coach has the awareness to see it. But the question is, will Westbrook?