Russell Westbrook certainly didn’t show up to play the hero role for the Nuggets in their demoralizing Game 7 loss to the Thunder, but he was hardly the reason for the result either. He finished with just 6 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists over 21 minutes in the 125-93 loss on Sunday, shooting just 2-7 from the floor, and finishing a team-worst -34.
But Russ was hardly the issue on Sunday and shouldn’t be scapegoated for the poor showing. Denver was just overmatched across the board, and once things started trending against them, it quickly spiraled and turned ugly.
Nikola Jokic was completely smothered and wasn’t able to exploit his size mismatches. The Nuggets needed him to be at his best, and he just wasn’t. Jamal Murray was a major disappointment in this one, failing to make any impact until this game was long over. Aaron Gordon and Michael Porter Jr. were shells of themselves, dealing with brutal injuries.
The team fought valiantly this season, and despite being written off after the firings of the head coach and GM with a week left in the season, they should be proud of this playoff run under interim coach David Adelman. They upended a red-hot Clippers team in a wild seven-game series, then took the title favorites, the 68-win OKC Thunder, to seven games and had them on the ropes on several occasions.
Westbrook a big part of Denver success this season
Russ was a massive success story this year in his first season with the Nuggets. It was a perfect marriage of convenience as the team needed to rely on Russ, and for the most part, he drastically outplayed his minimum contract.
Without his steadying hand, they probably don’t survive the regular season gauntlet and end up with a top-four seed. There was doubt about how things would look in the playoffs, but more often than not, he was excellent in the Clippers series and a big part of the reason that Denver was ultimately able to advance.
He had a rough series against the Thunder, but he didn’t become an unplayable disaster as many feared. The team ran out of gas, and Russ couldn’t find his shot. He had some careless turnovers and sloppy moments that didn’t help, but overall, the Russ experience is not what sunk the Nuggets.
Westbrook has player option for next season
Now, the Nuggets face an offseason filled with more uncertainty than ever. Big changes are coming, likely to the top of the roster, and everything is in play. The Nuggets would love to have Westbrook return as a nice veteran presence off the bench, but surely he outplayed his $3.5 million veteran minimum contract for next season.
He proved that he can still play meaningful minutes in the NBA, and there are likely a number of teams that would love to welcome him aboard if he hits free agency. If he opts out of his deal, teams can offer him more money and years with exceptions higher than the minimum salary he signed for last offseason.
Perhaps he had a great time in Denver, loves the situation, and wants to keep vying for a title alongside Nikola Jokic. That would be a great situation for the Nuggets, as Russ is one of the only value contracts on the entire roster.
But it seems far more likely that he tests the waters of free agency and sees if he can find a bigger paycheck and a better chance at securing his first ring. If that ends up being the case, his contributions and efforts should not be forgotten. The Russell Westbrook experience in Denver was a good time.