The Denver Nuggets made a bold move this offseason by signing former MVP Russell Westbrook to add guard depth to the team after they traded Reggie Jackson away in the summer. Westbrook might not be the MVP he once was, but Nuggets head coach Michael Malone hopes he can impact the franchise positively and reiterated the respect he has for the all-time triple-double leader on Nuggets media day.
"I met with Russ quite a bit, talked with him, great conversations. First and foremost, I just have so much respect for his body of work. The only thing that he hasn't accomplished is winning an NBA championship. That's the only thing missing from a very impressive resume.
"He saw something in this franchise, this group of players that he wanted to be a part of. That speaks to what we have going on here. Russ was in the gym yesterday, and there was just a different energy. I can’t explain it, but it's just that his voice, leadership, intensity, and competitive spirit, are all things that will not only help this team but the individual players achieve their potential and push them to be the best they can be."
"I love that he's here. Russell Westbrook is a first-ballot Hall of Famer. I love guys that bring it every single night. That's what he's done every game that he's ever played."
Westbrook is coming off a decent season with the Los Angeles Clippers where he averaged 11.1 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 4.5 assists. He managed that despite losing his starting spot at the start of the season due to the Clippers' acquisition of James Harden . Westbrook sacrificed to let Harden be the primary point guard of the franchise but it didn't lead to Playoff success.
Russ will hope he fits better on the Nuggets than he has in his last few spots. If Westbrook continues to be the team's sixth man and gets huge minutes when Nikola Jokic is off the floor, he could leave a major impact on the franchise.
Russell Westbrook Opened Up On Teaming Up With Nikola Jokic
The fit of Jokic and Westbrook together is fascinating, as both players are stat-stuffing monsters. At the points they are in their career, it's obvious that Jokic will be far more featured than Westbrook, but the pair need to have a strong relationship on the court. As both players are in the race to reach 200 triple-doubles, Westbrook opened up on what their partnership can bring .
"No, we have not had a conversation about (triple-doubles) it. I don't know if there's a race or not but we have not talked about it at all. Nikola is the best player in the world and he's playing at the highest level and all we care about (he will probably say the same) is winning basketball games and that's it."
Westbrook has 199 career triple-doubles compared to Jokic's 130. While Russ hasn't registered a triple-double since 2021, Jokic is still on pace to reach 200 triple-doubles and become the new all-time leader. Both players are concerned about winning, so this really shouldn't be an issue for the Nuggets next season.
Related: Gilbert Arenas Rips The Critics Who "Discredit" Russell Westbrook's Legacy
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