Nuggets and former NBA MVP have strong mutual interest

The official start to NBA free agency at 6 PM EST got off to a relatively slow start, but there was a big piece of news regarding a player who is under contract. Tony Jones of the Athletic reported that league sources tell him there is strong mutual interest between the Nuggets and Russell Westbrook of the Clippers.

Westbrook picked up his $4 million player option with the Clippers for next year but it has been reported that the team is working with him to find a trade partner and that he has played his last game for the Clips.

Russell Westbrook and Nuggets have mutual interest

Apparently one of the teams that LA is working with is the Nuggets who have a need for a backup point guard after sending Reggie Jackson to Charlotte. The Nuggets are desperate for playable bench players and depth around their core starters and Westbrook - even at this stage in his career - would fit the bill.

Westbrook has been a polarizing figure in the NBA for a long time; he won the league’s MVP Award with the Thunder in 2017 but has been fairly up and down the last few seasons, bouncing around from team to team.

Westbrook would be a great addition to the Nuggets bench

For all the knocks on Russ, he’s one of the best competitors in the league and he will bring the Nuggets offense into hyperspeed if he comes off the bench. He can still play make and run the offense and should form a fascinating two-man game with Jokic.

It would hardly be a perfect fit or a match made in heaven, and he wouldn’t be making up for losing Caldwell-Pope. But considering what the Nuggets currently have to work with, Westbrook would be a welcome addition to the team. He’s hungry to win a ring and to prove he can still play and the synergy with the Joker could help revive his career to an extent.

Since Russ opted in, the Nuggets would have to acquire him via trade instead of free agency, but matching his $4 million contract shouldn’t be very difficult and they shouldn’t have to give up any assets or rotation players.

This isn’t exactly fireworks or some massive move, but again, when you consider the grim outlook that has been presented for the Nuggets this offseason, adding a player of Westbrook’s caliber to the bench would be an immediate upgrade and a much-needed jolt from a proven veteran. 

He would instantly be the best option at 6th man on the team and he’d be one of the only bench players with real experience. As much as some Nuggets fans may want to recoil at this idea, it’s smart business and the type of move the team badly needs.