Returning to Denver on Monday for the first time since departing the team as a free agent over the summer, Kings point guard Russell Westbrook had a big night, racking up 26 points, 12 rebounds, and six assists in a 130-124 loss. Asked after the game about his time with the Nuggets, Westbrook said he thought it was “great” but that “other people” didn’t necessarily feel the same way (Twitter video link via DNVR Sports).
“The truth is that they didn’t want me back,” Westbrook said. “It ain’t up to me. God always has a plan. Be patient. Not up to me. They don’t want me, that’s OK. Somebody else do.”
Westbrook, who signed a two-year, minimum-salary contract with Denver during the 2024 offseason, played a significant role for the club, averaging 13.3 points, 6.1 assists, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.4 steals in 27.9 minutes per game across 75 appearances (36 starts) during the regular season. He also contributed 11.7 PPG, 2.6 APG, and 3.7 RPG in 13 playoff contests (24.1 MPG).
The former MVP was lauded by coaches and teammates in Denver for his energy, competitiveness, and leadership, but he didn’t score efficiently (.449/.323/.661 shooting) and his high-energy style results in some out-of-control plays and a high turnover rate, making him a somewhat polarizing player.
Although Westbrook held a $3.47MM player option for the 2025/26 season on his Nuggets deal, he opted to turn it down in favor of unrestricted free agency. He was on the market for nearly the entire offseason before signing a new veteran’s minimum deal with Sacramento last month. Asked about that option decision, the 36-year-old suggested Denver didn’t want him to exercise it.
“They told me not to,” he said. “I don’t go anywhere I’m not wanted. I don’t need to.”
As Bennett Durando of The Denver Post observes, the Nuggets underwent some significant organizational changes in the spring, hiring a new head coach and installing a new head of basketball operations. While those changes may have contributed to Westbrook’s exit – veteran center DeAndre Jordan also indicated last week that the team didn’t want to bring him back, Durando notes – new head coach David Adelman had nothing but kind words for the veteran guard prior to Monday’s game.
“He’s the most consistent energy guy I’ve ever been around,” Adelman said, per Durando. “… Huge part of why we won the first round last year against the Clippers. Huge part of some of the defensive things we could do against OKC (in the second round). So it’s really cool to see Russ get picked up by (Sacramento), and just to see the longevity and what he’s done in this unbelievable, magical career he’s had. So he should be in the NBA. It’s good to see him out there competing. Watching him on film reminded me of a lot of things — just the relentlessness of what he is.”
Russ has been playing well, the Kings are just overall bad though. No rim protector and Keegan won’t help that when he returns.
“Russell Westbrook had a big night in a loss” – literally his entire career. Ballhogging fills the stat sheet, but you end up ringless.
Yes Russ, no contending team wants you, you play a style that only makes you look good, and you never win. If anything Nuggets fans should be rejoicing the ringless one is gone, they might win another title now. The best move for Russ at this point in his career, if he still wants to keep playing professionally, is to go play somewhere overseas, like China.
If Russ had learned to at least know how to play off-ball he would have several rings by now, discuss:
Classic Westbrick response with literally no self awareness.
Dude has made 345 million bucks playing a game, all while lacking self-awareness?
Interesting take.
Russ has a high interest in playing well, but almost no interest in winning. He just wants to play well enough to get a 1-yr deal with another team season to season.
When you sign him, you’re getting a guy who is gonna play hard, but do things that contribute to losing more than winning, but his “numbers” will be there in the process.
Numbers that he can say, “I did my part.”
Literally uncoachable.
Doug Christie was doomed when they signed him (Russ), and I think that was intentional by upper management.
He’s a favorite child of the organization and they didn’t want to necessarily fire him after his interim basis.
They brought in SP, who really doesn’t want him, but had to acquiesce to ownership as a condition to him getting the job himself.
What do you do? You set Christie up to fail.
Easiest way to do that?
Sign Westbrook.
– especially with DeRozan, LaVine, Monk, and Schröder on the roster.
Remember when it was said EVERYWHERE that just signing DeRozan was a horrible decision for SAC???
Then LaVine?
Then you add WESTBROOK to THAT????
That’s a round pizza, cut in triangles, in a square box – only worse.
That’s how they usually sell pizza.
Exactly lol he could’ve worded it like a square pizza cut into triangles in a round box to make it sound like a worse fit.
Thing is, you both got the message and you knew it was a good comment.
Your comments were a dead giveaway.
And, it’s ok.
More jv players haha
“That’s a round pizza, cut in triangles, in a square box – only worse.”
That’s a really bad comment bro.
Can’t even get their criticism right lol ….. love triangle pizza that comes in a box.
Clearly there’s Jokic’s voice is the only one that matters in Denver and it’s easy to see that Westbrook’s style of play is the complete opposite of his.
It’s funny to me that when guys who think the world of themselves are shown that no one else does
Yeah poor Russ.
It must be hilarious to think about when your alarm goes off every morning,
Westbrook has won more than 90% of players of his generation. No one player wins chips. When will all the haters learn that.
Westbrook deserves criticism for not adapting to teams after OKC. And for not working on his shot. Yet he is still one of most productive bench players in the game. Imo his ego gets in the way. He had a good opportunity in Denver.