Russell Westbrook finally lands somewhere he can thrive

Russell Westbrook is finally free from the media spotlight after three difficult years in Los Angeles, splitting his time between the Lakers and Clippers.

The future Hall of Famer was traded by the Clippers in a deal that saw Kris Dunn head to Ty Lue's team. Westbrook was subsequently waived by the Utah Jazz.

However, on Friday, The Athletic's Shams Charania reported that Westbrook had agreed to a two-year, $6.8M deal with the Denver Nuggets.

On paper, Westbrook's fit within Mike Malone's offensive and defensive system is questionable. He's at his best when operating in a ball-dominant role and pushing the tempo. Denver finished last season as the 26th team in the league for pace.

Nevertheless, Westbrook's ability to force defensive collapses could open up easy shooting opportunities for Aaron Gordon and Michael Porter Jr. Furthermore, it will be interesting to see how he plays next to Nikola Jokic when the two inevitably share the court.

Most importantly, though, Denver now has a high-level understudy for Jamal Murray, who missed a significant chunk of last season due to injury.

After years of being placed in miscast roles and having his approach shackled due to the talent around him, Westbrook is heading to a team that needs him to be himself. The Nuggets need a boost in tempo. They need the rim pressure. And they will welcome additional playmaking via drive-and-dish offense.

Westbrook is in the final stage of his career. He deserved to find a team to accentuate his talent and position him to thrive. He and the Nuggets front office will undoubtedly hope he can be a genuine difference-maker during his time in the Mile High City.