The Nuggets have a clear need for a backup point guard, and Russell Westbrook remains unsigned. Yet, the team shouldn’t be looking to bring back the polarizing future Hall of Famer, even despite his success in Denver last season.
Westbrook worked in Denver last year because it was a perfect marriage of arrangement. The Nuggets were desperate to fortify their meager depth. They needed a veteran guard who could handle the ball, they needed an injection of energy and attitude, they needed a veteran presence.
And Russ provided all of those things in spades. It certainly helped that the Nuggets had no way to improve the roster beyond minimum signings and that the market for Westbrook was essentially barren. The team signed him to a minimum contract, it worked out great for both sides, and things petered out in round two of the playoffs.
Nuggets need a steady hand off the bench
But this season, the Nuggets’ needs are a bit different, even if it may not seem that way, positionally speaking. While they need a point guard, they don’t need someone to dominate the ball and possessions. Last year, Russ would come in and take over, largely because Denver had nobody else to turn the keys to.
Things have changed this offseason, however. The team has only lost Michael Porter Jr. from the rotation, while they’ve added Cam Johnson, Tim Hardaway Jr., Jonas Valanciunas, and Bruce Brown.
None of those guys play point guard, but they can all run some offense, handle the ball, make good decisions, score, and hit shots. The Nuggets’ bench rarely had the ability to do those things last year, hence the need for Westbrook to do it all.
Now, they just need a steady hand to fill the backup point guard role. Someone who won’t turn it over and will put his teammates in good positions to get their own shots. That doesn’t sound like the roller-coaster ride that is the Westbrook experience.
There are teams that need the do-it-all skillset that Russ can bring, but the Nuggets are no longer one of them. They should be looking for another cheap veteran who can run the point during the season without anyone having to worry about things flying off the rails, constant turnovers, or a playoff unraveling.