It’s finally happening: after a long, arduous wait to fill the backup point guard spot behind Jamal Murray, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN confirms that Russell Westbrook has been traded from the Clippers to the Jazz and is expected to be bought out, clearing the way for him to join the Denver Nuggets. All offseason the word has been out that the Nuggets wanted Westbrook, but until he was made available there wasn’t much that Denver could do about it, and with most of the other options already signed the Nuggets were left waiting for the Clippers to part with him. Now that it has finally happened, Denver’s offseason seems mostly set.
Once Russell Westbrook clears waivers, the expectation is that he’ll join the Denver Nuggets as a free agent and bring them another veteran to bolster the team’s bench and be available as a spot-starter. pic.twitter.com/HOAoYgyn59
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 18, 2024
Their big needs entering the offseason were at backup point guard and interior big, and with Dario Saric signed as well as now Westbrook getting close to arriving in Denver, they can cross both of those items off the list. It will be strange to see Westbrook in a Denver uniform, but the Nuggets have needed a point guard who can organize the bench offense and attack the rim, while also being able to play next to Jokic. That future is almost within Denver’s grasp now, and shortly we’ll see how far it can take the Nuggets this season.