Russell Westbrook Remains on Market After Opting Out of Nuggets Contract
russell-westbrook-free-agency-update
Veteran guard Russell Westbrook is still without a team after declining his $? million player option for the 2025-26 season with the Denver Nuggets, leaving one of the league’s most accomplished players in free-agency limbo.
League insiders told Hoops Wire they would not be surprised if the 35-year-old enters the upcoming season unsigned. Should an agreement materialize, it is expected to be a minimum-salary deal, and there is no guarantee it would come from the clubs most often mentioned in recent rumors.
Teams Linked to the Former MVP
The Sacramento Kings, Miami Heat, New York Knicks and Milwaukee Bucks have all been cited by various reports, including Bleacher Report, as possible fits. To this point, none of those organizations has moved to secure the nine-time All-Star.
2023-24 Performance
Westbrook appeared in 75 games for Denver last season, averaging 13.3 points, 4.9 rebounds and 6.1 assists while shooting 44.9 percent from the floor, 32.3 percent from three-point range and 66.1 percent at the free-throw line. The Nuggets reached the Western Conference semifinals, eliminating the Los Angeles Clippers before falling to the Oklahoma City Thunder in seven games.
Career Snapshot
Turning 37 in November, Westbrook has played for six franchises: the Thunder, Rockets, Wizards, Lakers, Clippers and Nuggets. He owns the NBA record for triple-doubles with 203 and captured the league’s Most Valuable Player award in 2017. Over 1,237 career contests, he holds averages of 21.2 points, 7.0 rebounds and 8.0 assists.
For now, the former MVP waits as training camps draw closer, with both sides of the market seemingly unwilling to rush into a deal.
Source: Hoops Wire
