In a chat with the media this week, Nuggets guard Russell Westbrook reflected on where things went wrong with his previous NBA stints. According to Westbrook, the fault lies with the teams for not utilizing his game “unique” properly.
“To be honest, (my skill-set) was unique, they just didn’t put me in a position to be unique. I was in a position where I was playing not my position. Being able to be here and coach Malone allowing me to be able to use my speed, use my transition skills to make other guys better. It makes the game for everyone else around me and that’s what I love to do best.”
Westbrook was at his absolute peak with the Oklahoma City Thunder. In those days, Russ was a top-three point-guard league who dropped a triple-double every other game. In 11 seasons for the Thunder, Westbrook averaged 23.0 points, 8.4 assists, and 7.0 rebounds per game on 46.5% shooting. In 2017, he won NBA MVP after averaging a triple-double and cemented his legacy as one of the best players in Thunder franchise history.
Unfortunately for Westbrook, his run with the Thunder did not last forever. After losing in the 2019 playoffs, GM Sam Presti opted for a rebuild and he traded Russ that summer to the Rockets in exchange for Chris Paul and four first-round picks.
Initially, Westbrook had some success with the Rockets and he even made the All-Star team in 2020 with a scoring average of 27.2 points per game. But it wasn’t long before Westbrook’s game took a steep decline and eventually he stopped being a starter altogether.
The beginning of the end came with the Lakers back in 2021. Westbrook hoped to win a championship alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis but his arrival marked a very dark time for the franchise. As the Lakers struggled to win games, Westbrook’s minutes saw a gradual decline as he was forced to adapt to his All-Star teammates.
LeBron James handled the majority of ball-handling duties and without the ball in his hands, Westbrook couldn’t be effective. The results were pretty ugly on the court and it wasn’t until the Lakers traded Westbrook that they finally went on a run.
While the Clippers were much healthier for Westbrook mentally, he wasn’t much better off there on the court. He was never a great fit beside Kawhi Leonard and Paul George — and when James Harden arrived, Westbrook’s minutes and role reduced even further.
The series of events put Westbrook where he’s at today: on the Denver Nuggets. Just a few years removed from their title run, the Nuggets are hoping that Westbrook can help them get back to the Finals and he’s feeling optimistic about what’s to come.
If the Nuggets and coach Malone are willing to be patient with Westbrook and help him find his place on the team, it could work to their benefit as Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray return to action.
At the very least, Westbrook can provide a spark off the bench which the Nuggets could desperately use after losing Bruce Brown and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope over the past two years. With the Nuggets, Russ has a chance for redemption and he’s not going to take it for granted.
