This time of year, everyone in NBA media has takes to get off and opinions on every transaction that takes place. Players are moving around left and right, turning the offseason into a game of musical chairs, which inevitably leaves some teams without a seat.
A few days into free agency, it seems like the Nuggets are one of the teams still looking for a seat. They’ve lost Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Reggie Jackson, and have yet to sign any new free agents to the roster. Right now, they’re looking at a bench made up of young, unproven players hoping to crack an NBA rotation for the first time.
Russell Westbrook fills a clear need for Nuggets
It’s painfully apparent that the team needs to add some reliable veterans and one name that keeps popping up is former MVP Russell Westbrook. Westbrook opted into his $4 million deal with the Clippers for next season, but the team is set on moving him, either by trade or buy-out. The Nuggets have been connected to Russ, and apparently, even Nikola Jokic is pushing for the team to add the 35-year-old point guard.
Westbrook has become one of the most polarizing players in the NBA due to his reckless style of play and inability to fit in as a role player. He fills an obvious need for the Nuggets as a proven backup who could run the second unit, but despite that, there remains plenty of skepticism.
Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer described a potential Westbrook addition for the Nuggets as a “complete disaster fit” in the latest episode of the Mismatch and his boss Bill Simmons has weighed in with his own colorful analogy.
Bill Simmons likens Westbrook to shots of Fireball
On the July 1st episode of the Bill Simmons Podcast, Simmons and Kevin Wildes talked about Westbrook joining the Nuggets and handing him the keys to the second unit. Simmons compared this move to a night out with friends and doing shots of Fireball. He explained that it seems like a good idea, the shots go down well and taste pretty good, but after a while, you start to get sick.
This is a relatable analogy for some, and easy enough to understand for others. The point is pretty clear; he’s not a believer in a Westbrook addition and thinks it may look good at first, but ultimately it will leave Nuggets fans feeling sick. This may be a unique way to describe the situation, but it’s not a unique opinion.
Westbrook has many doubters around the league that don’t think the Nuggets should go anywhere near Russ. The fact is, they don’t have much of a choice at this point. The team is desperate for proven talent, and if nothing else, Westbrook provides that. The market is drying up and the Nuggets need somebody who can handle the ball off the bench. Adding Westbrook is a risky proposition, and may end up leaving fans feeling sick, but it also may be the best available option.