The Denver Nuggets already know what Russell Westbrook can bring, and that familiarity may be exactly why a reunion makes so much sense.
Denver has a clear issue behind its starting guards, and Tyus Jones isn’t going to cover that entire load by himself. Westbrook, still on the market, would give the Nuggets a backup option who can handle the ball, push pace, and create offense when the second unit needs a jolt.
The fit is easy to see because the Nuggets have already lived through it. Last season, they told Westbrook he would be buried on the bench, advised him not to pick up his team option, and pushed him toward free agency.
The thinking, tied to Calvin Booth, leaned toward giving Jalen Pickett more of a chance. That route did not pay off, and Pickett has now been released after failing to develop last year.
Westbrook took a different path and landed in Sacramento, where he started 58 of 64 games and put up 15.2 points, 6.7 assists, and 5.4 rebounds per game. The defense may not be what it once was, but the energy and edge are still there, and Denver could have used that kind of fight in the first round against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
That’s part of why a return keeps coming back into the conversation. The Nuggets were too even-keeled last season, and David Adelman doesn’t exactly scream firestarter from the sideline. Westbrook would add some volatility, sure, but also some needed spice.
There’s also the practical side. Denver lost Tim Hardaway Jr.’s bench scoring, and the roster still needs more ball-handling. Westbrook’s downhill attack and slashing game still play at the backup level, and his passing remains a real asset.
With cap space tight, the Nuggets can’t afford to be choosy about veteran-minimum options. If they want the best backup point guard still available, Westbrook is right there. The only real question is whether both sides can patch things up enough to make the reunion happen in Denver.
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Nuggets Just Made A Telling Move Behind Jokics Backup Spot
Denvers frontcourt picture is shifting again after a season in which Jonas Valanciunas gave the Nuggets a steady, low-usage option behind Nikola Jokic. The veteran center appeared in 65 games and provided 8.7 points and 5.1 rebounds in limited minutes, the kind of production that usually helps stabilize a second unit even if it does not draw much attention.
Marvin Bagley now looks like the most immediate candidate to absorb those backup-center minutes, with Zeke Nnaji also in the mix and DaRon Holmes and Trevon Brazile part of the broader conversation. For Denver, the move also clears meaningful cap room, but it leaves one of the rosters more practical questions hanging as training camp approaches: who actually handles the Jokic insurance plan? [Read more 🡒]
Nuggets Suddenly Have A DeMar DeRozan Question They Cant Ignore
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Still, this is not a clean basketball fit on paper, which is why the conversation feels more complicated than a simple name-to-team connection. DeRozan has long been valued for his midrange creation and shot-making, but he has never been the type to stretch the floor with threes or anchor a defense, and those are real considerations for a Denver team built around a very specific style. [Read more 🡒]
Celtics Linked To An Unexpected Guard Target Fans Should Watch
Curtis Jones spent most of last season in the margins of Denvers roster, filling a two-way role that gave the Nuggets another guard option while he also logged meaningful run with the Grand Rapids Gold. His NBA minutes were limited, but the former Iowa State guard did enough in the G League to stay on the radar, and his late-season work hinted at the kind of scoring punch he can bring when given a larger role.
Now Jones is drawing attention from outside Denver, with Boston surfacing as a team to watch in the mix. For the Nuggets, it adds another small but notable offseason wrinkle around a player who never had a big foothold in the rotation, and it leaves open the question of whether his next NBA opportunity comes elsewhere after a brief first run in Denver. [Read more 🡒]