Denver's hopes of bringing back the nine-time All-Star appear to be fading.
Nuggets receive bad news on potential Russell Westbrook reunion originally appeared on The Sporting News
The Denver Nuggets have reshaped their roster this offseason, gearing up for a deep playoff run after falling to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference semifinals.
The Nuggets acquired Cameron Johnson in exchange for Michael Porter Jr. and a first-round pick this summer, and they also added Jonas Valanciunas via trade. Additionally, the team signed Tim Hardaway Jr. and Bruce Brown, bolstering its wing depth in free agency.
However, Denver is expected to lose a key veteran in nine-time All-Star Russell Westbrook, who declined his $3.5 million player option for the 2025-26 campaign. Now, the veteran playmaker is exploring unrestricted free agency.
Westbrook is not expected to return to Denver, with the Sacramento Kings emerging as his most probable landing spot, according to Tim MacMahon of ESPN.
“League sources consider the Sacramento Kings the most likely destination for Westbrook, who will turn 37 during the first month of the season,” MacMahon wrote. “If that’s the case, Westbrook would likely come off the bench again and share ballhandling duties with free agency addition Dennis Schroder.”
MORE: NBA executive predicts breakout season for ex-Nuggets forward
Westbrook is coming off a solid season in Denver, though his production was inconsistent at times. He averaged 13.3 points, 6.1 assists, 4.9 rebounds and 1.4 steals across 27.9 minutes per game in 75 regular-season appearances.
However, the UCLA product struggled in the team’s playoff loss to the Thunder. During the seven-game series, he averaged 9.9 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2.4 assists while shooting 34.8 percent from the field in 22.9 minutes per game.
Now, he appears likely to join the Kings, providing a spark for a team who has missed the playoffs in back-to-back seasons.
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Category: Basketball
