On Wednesday night, the Nuggets were on the road to face the Kings. It was Denver’s first game since head coach Michael Malone and general manager Calvin Booth were fired.
The Nuggets beat the Kings 124-116 and snapped a four-game losing streak. Since Malone was fired earlier this week, several reports have come out of Denver. Sam Amick of The Athletic noted that Russell Westbrook’s future with the Nuggets is “uncertain”. We’ll have to wait and see how their 2025 postseason plays out.
Where will Russell Westbrook play in 2025-26?
Russell Westbrook’s future with the Denver Nuggets is ‘uncertain’ 😬, per @TheAthletic
“In Wednesday night’s 124-116 win over the Sacramento Kings, Adelman benched Westbrook down the stretch of the fourth quarter, choosing instead to close with Pickett. Westbrook has a player… pic.twitter.com/6otYxoL1iu
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) April 10, 2025
After the 2023-24 season, the Clippers traded Russell Westbrook to the Jazz. However, Utah bought out the remainder of his contract, and he signed a two-year, $6.7 million deal with Denver. The 2024-25 season is the first year of his deal with the Nuggets. Westbrook has played in 76 of Denver’s 80 games this season and has 36 starts. The nine-time all-star is averaging (13.2) points, (5.0) rebounds, (6.1) assists, and (1.4) steals per game.
Recently, Sam Amick of The Athletic had a story on Russell Westbrook and the Nuggets. He shared how Nuggets players began losing faith in Michael Malone after he gave Westbook special treatment. On top of that, Amick reported that Westbrook’s future with the Nuggets is “uncertain”. He has a $3.4 million player option for the 2025-26 season.
Former head coach Michael Malone and GM Calvin Booth clashed when it came to roster construction. Malone wanted to use veterans like Russell Westbrook. Booth wanted to use the talent Denver acquired through the draft. Against the Kings on Thursday, interim head coach David Adelman benched Russell Westbrook in the fourth quarter. He chose to play rookie PG Jalen Pickett instead. The 2024-25 season is Westbrook’s 17th year in the NBA. What does the future hold for the former league MVP?
