The Denver Nuggets were mocked by many at the start of the season when they signed Russell Westbrook to be their backup point guard. After Westbrook’s rough seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers and Clippers, many presumed he was washed and was hanging onto NBA rosters based on his reputation as a former MVP.
Westbrook has proven this season that he just needed the right opportunity, thriving with the Nuggets and far out-performing the minimum contract he signed with the team. Franchise star and three-time MVP Nikola Jokic showered Westbrook with praise on TNT, saying he was misunderstood on his previous teams.
“I love the connection we have. I just need to look at him and he knows exactly what I’m thinking. I’m a little bit slower so he waits for me to get to my spot and he passes it at the right time. He’s a great player. I think the teams he played for in the past misunderstood him and didn’t give him the opportunity to be himself.”
Westbrook is averaging 13.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 6.6 assists this season. While his numbers aren’t gaudy, his effectiveness cannot be argued with. He has thrived off the bench as well as a starter, whether in place of Jamal Murray or alongside the star guard.
Westbrook’s connection with Jokic on the court has been especially unique to see, with both players bringing the best out of each other as complementary high-IQ ball-handlers and floor-readers. They have had multiple triple-doubles together this season, which goes to show how effective they can be with each other on the court.
What Went Wrong On The Lakers And Clippers?
This version of Westbrook is what the Lakers tried to drag out of him but just couldn’t do over his one-and-a-half seasons with the franchise. While Westbrook was an effective point guard and defender for the Lakers, his lack of shooting ability made it impossible to work him into lineups with LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
Both stars also went through injury-riddled patches in this spell, further increasing the scrutiny on Westbrook who couldn’t carry the Lakers. Westbrook wasn’t well-suited for the Lakers or the nearly $50 million max contract he was still on. It hamstrung the Lakers’ ability to build a more complementary roster around him and LeBron.
The franchise made it to the Conference Finals instantly after trading him away. It was a bad fit, with both Russ and the Lakers being better off today after severing their relationship in February 2023.
He averaged 17.4 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 7.2 assists in his stint with the Lakers, but those numbers don’t reflect how bad this stint actually was.
When Russ went over to the Clippers, he came on a minimum buyout contract for the end of the 2023 season after the Lakers traded him to the Utah Jazz, who bought his max contract out. Westbrook was a solid starting point guard for them although he took a while to adjust. By the 2023 Playoffs, Westbrook was showing flashes of the star guard play he was capable of.
Unfortunately, after a strong start to the 2023-24 season with Westbrook as starting point guard, the Clippers acquired James Harden for that role. Westbrook struggled to find his groove on the roster again outside of small bright spots. He averaged 12.2 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 5.2 assists over one-and-a-half seasons with the Clippers.
Despite being a fan favorite, he left the franchise in the summer for the Nuggets where he’s finally thriving.
There needs to be a specific set of circumstances around the 35-year-old point guard to bring the best out of him now that he’s out of his prime. The Lakers and Clippers simply didn’t have the structure to provide what the Nuggets can.
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