Outside of the Dallas Mavericks drafting Cooper Flagg in less than two weeks, Dallas' biggest mission of the offseason will be finding a replacement for Kyrie Irving as he recovers from his ACL tear that he suffered back in March. Dallas also has to re-sign Irving, as he will likely decline his player option and become a free agent, but with that looking to be a done deal, they must prioritize finding someone to run the offense while he is out.
It has already been reported that Dallas is looking for playmaking and ball handling when signing their Irving replacement, and a perfect option may have just made himself available if the latest rumblings coming out of Denver are true. According to NBA insider Marc Stein, Russell Westbrook will decline his $3.5 million player option with the Denver Nuggets and become an unrestricted free agent.
While the Mavericks would undoubtedly need to make another move for a different guard along with Westbrook to help fill in for Irving until he comes back, he is definitely an intriguing option.
Mavericks should consider Russell Westbrook when replacing Irving
Last season for the Nuggets, Westbrook averaged 13.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, 6.1 assists, and 1.4 steals per game while shooting 44.9 percent from the field and 32.3 percent from downtown. This was the best 3-point shooting season Westbrook has had since his MVP season in 2016-17 with the Oklahoma City Thunder, and his bounce-back season with the Nuggets may have been a great example to Dallas as to what he could bring if they were to sign him.
In Denver, Westbrook once again proved that he can run the offense when needed, and that is all he would need to do in Dallas. Westbrook would just need to help run the show while Irving is out, and later transition into a complementary role off the bench.
This is a move the Mavericks should consider if Westbrook is open to taking a much smaller role once Irving returns, but they must be strategic when it comes to replacing Irving. Dallas likely wouldn't have enough guard depth if they were to make Westbrook their sole Irving replacement, and it would be in their best interest to sign a more high-profile guard along with Westbrook when addressing their backcourt deficiencies.
Decreasing Westbrook's role in Dallas wouldn't come without concerns, though, as there were some moments in Denver that showed he didn't like how much his minutes were fluctuating. This is expected from a former MVP, as he still has high confidence in himself and his abilities, and the Mavericks must make sure that this wouldn't become a problem if they were to sign him this summer.
On top of the potential concerns about Westbrook's role shrinking, his 3-point shooting may also be a concern for Dallas, considering that they are rolling with the double-big strategy again next season. The Mavericks need shooters on the floor when Anthony Davis is sharing the court with Daniel Gafford or Dereck Lively II, and while Westbrook had an improved season shooting the rock from downtown, he is best utilized when he is on the floor with players who stretch the floor to allow him to have clear driving lanes to the rim while also giving him kick-out options.
On the other hand, Westbrook's tenacity, defense, physicality, and energy would fit great into Nico Harrison's "defense wins championships" vision. Westbrook is known for taking pride in his defense and getting under opponents' skin, and you can never have too many of these types of players on your squad when you're trying to contend for a title. Jason Kidd and the Mavericks care as much as anyone about energy and effort, and neither one of those areas would ever be a concern when Westbrook is on the floor.
Along with his hustle, defense, and competitiveness, Westbrook would help the Mavericks get back to playing faster once again, as he loves pushing the ball in transition. Westbrook still specializes in turning rebounds or turnovers into coast-to-coast buckets for himself on the other end, and if he can bring this type of energy and accept a low-usage role with the Mavs, they'd be golden.
Westbrook also could form outstanding chemistry with Davis as he did with Nikola Jokic, and that would help make Dallas' offense even more dangerous. Westbrook was dangerous as an off-ball cutter, and with Davis being one of the better playmaking bigs in the NBA, these two could form a deadly duo when sharing the floor together.
This will all come down to the money and role that Westbrook is looking for in free agency, and if he is fine with his minutes going way down once Irving returns, the Mavericks should consider signing him to a one-year deal. With Westbrook declining his player option with Denver, it seems likely that he will look to sign with a team for more than the minimum, but if he doesn't, Dallas should be one of the first teams calling.