Former nine-time All-Star point guard Russell Westbrook, most recently a reserve with the Denver Nuggets, has made a decision when it comes to his potential free agency this season.
The 6-foot-4 UCLA product remains shockingly athletic, even at the relatively advanced age of 36. He may no longer be in MVP conversations, but the now-well-traveled veteran guard proved to be a critical-if-erratic contributor to Denver during the banged-up club's run to a seven-game Western Conference semifinals playoff series loss against the 68-win Oklahoma City Thunder, Westbrook's first team, this spring.
Nuggets guard Russell Westbrook (4) moves the ball up court against the Clippers.
Nuggets guard Russell Westbrook (4) moves the ball up court against the Clippers.
Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
Westbrook inked a two-year deal to leave his hometown L.A. Clippers and join the Nuggets during the 2024 offseason. He had a $3.5 million player option on his contract for 2025-26. By June 29, Westbrook needed to decide whether or not he would pick it up or decline and enter free agency.
Now, sources inform Marc Stein of Substack that the 2017 MVP has decided how to proceed with regards to that option.
Per Stein, Westbrook will decline the option and enter unrestricted free agency yet again this summer.
As he's aged out of his prime, the former superstar has often been criticized for his ball stopping and late-game decision making.
Still, as a reserve eating up minutes on a good team (provided he's not playing at the ends of close contests), Westbrook could be a useful asset to a contender as an end-of-rotation bench guard.
Is he angling for maximal money, say something in the range of a bi-annual exception (estimated to be worth around $5.1 million next year, per Luke Adams of Hoops Rumors)? Does Westbrook prefer long-term security, even if it's a multi-year veteran's minimum deal? Or is his priority trying to achieve his first championship?
Time will tell.