Michael Malone's early Russell Westbrook impression is exactly what Nuggets need

Russell Westbrook suited up in Denver Nuggets threads for the first time on Thursday at Media Day. He was calm, cool, and collected in his press conference. He's ready to compete for the Nuggets.

Michael Malone is one of many within the organization who is excited to have the former MVP on the roster. Peyton Watson and Christian Braun talked about how they grew up idolizing Westbrook, specifically Watson, who grew up in Los Angeles.

Malone was asked if Westbrook had an "early impact" on him, as so many of his players have been affected by the guard's career. The head coach said he has "so much respect" for Westbrook's work and mentioned the one significant thing the 35-year-old hasn't accomplished yet.

Westbrook said one of the reasons he chose to sign with Denver is because the team is "always in the hunt to win the championship." He said that at this stage in his career, he wants to play "the right brand of basketball." Russell mentioned that his sole focus isn't on winning a championship. He loves the game of basketball.

The truth is that the Nuggets are contenders. Westbrook will get to play alongside the three-time MVP and 2023 NBA Finals MVP. There's a good chance that Russ will win his long-awaited title in Denver.

Malone says there's "a different energy" with Russell Westbrook around

Westbrook spent his first 11 seasons in the league with the Thunder. Ironically, the Thunder are one of the Nuggets' biggest obstacles to returning to the NBA Finals. Oklahoma City finished as the No. 1 seed in the West last season but was ousted in the second round by Minnesota. The Thunder made several offseason moves that strengthened their odds of winning their first title.

Denver has been criticized for its offseason moves. The Nuggets lost Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and many believe that signing Westbrook won't move the needle enough for Denver. Westbrook was part of the Lakers' "superteam" that was a massive disappointment in 2021-22. He received a much-needed fresh start during the middle of the 2022-23 season when he signed with the Clippers.

Everyone knows Westbrook is no longer the player he was when he won MVP in 2017. He's a role player who many wrote off long ago. The truth is that he has the potential to have one of his best seasons in the past few years. We know how Nikola Jokic elevates the other four players he shares the floor with.

If Malone says the energy is different, the energy is different. He knows what it's like to win a championship. Westbrook is a great addition to the culture of a title-winning squad.