NBA Gametime | Chris Haynes reports Clippers looking to trade Russell Westbrook to Nuggets

NBA Gametime | Chris Haynes reports Clippers looking to trade Russell Westbrook to Nuggets

check this out so Russell Westbrook just resigned with the Clippers and according to Jake fiser there some mutual interest between the nuggets and the Clippers on bringing Russ to the mile high huh is that a match well Denver has some Financial issues as we’ve discussed two Max salaries Nicole yic Jamal muray actually three with Michael Porter Jr Aaron Gordon makes north of 20 million a year too so they have very limited flexibility and if cavius cwolf PP leaves which I think is probably likely at this point they’re going to have a hard time replacing him in the back court so two very different players Westbrook with the speed shot creation certainly not the spot up shooter and Defender the kcp is but Denver is going to need to get creative that’s one of the things that I think hurt the Nuggets a year ago when some of the veterans off that championship team last season in 2023 uh Jeff Green ish Smith others Bruce Brown walked out the door they had a hard time replacing them they tried to do it with younger guys and obviously lost to Minnesota in the second round of the playoffs so uh these apron rules are real and significant and Denver is one of the high spending teams who has very limited flexibility so we’ll see if there’s a way they can add Westbrook to their roster especially if the Clippers just want to get off of Russ’s contract at 4 million to create more flexibility either for Paul George or to try to sign another player you know as a as a second unit Force Russell Westbrook can still play obviously at this point in his career and still make things happen because of the spacing issues playing on the floor with a team that is dominated in terms of possession by Nicole yic makes a little less sense basketball-wise how how would this work well I think it works really well from this standpoint you know one he probably can run your second unit but but two also they’ve lost a lot like losing KC p is going to I think significantly impact their roster makeup I mean kcp is one of the best on ball perimeter defenders in the league couple that with his ability to shoo it he’s a great shooter he also is terrific at playing without the basketball so for them to lose that and think that Brown’s going to be able to step in and I like brown but he’s not ready to do that Christian Brown Christian Brown he’s not ready for that so in essence not that Westbrook comes in and starts but but he’s a valuable Force he’s a terrific rebounder at that position he’s consumate competitor um I think it’s an upgrade for the roster I I don’t think there’s any question about it if you look at them them absent kcp I don’t think they’re a contender I I I just don’t that’s such a lot to lose for that group um especially when you look at the rest of those teams in the Western Conference and the fact that those teams are still improving so I I just feel like right now if you’re the Denver Nuggets you’ve got to upgrade your roster significantly especially if kcp walks which I can’t imagine a scenario where he doesn’t he just opted out a 16 million I think it was right so he’s going to get well over 20 24 25 y Denver can’t pay that right so so that means he’s gone so they’ve got to now become far more creative in try trying to fill out that roster because I think you guys made a great point I think Murray and joic seem to be a little warn because they’re uniquely built those two guys literally make every play for them down the stretch and teams Minnesota was able to wear on them because they could also attack those guys on the offensive end we saw Boston do something similarly against Dallas right where they were able to attack Luca and they also were able to pressure him and extend him the whole floor so if you’re the Denver Nuggets you’ve got to figure out ways to bring about more variety into their offense like they’ve got to have other guys that can create offense for them to take some of that pressure off of uh the Joker and and Jamal Murray you know the whole discussion last summer with the Nuggets was they lost Bruce Brown they lost Jeff Green what are they going to do about the bench and they they drafted older players they hoped that pyton Watson Christian Brown would develop to a point where they trusted them in end of the game situations in the playoffs clearly the bench never quite got to where they hoped it would be and we used the phrase nonic minutes a lot last season because they weren’t very good for a second straight year if they lose kcp what kind of a blow was that to their depth and maybe this West Westbrook move if it happens addresses some of that but what are the options there I think they clearly need help in the back court Matt especially experienced veteran help because keep in mind Reggie Jackson’s also gone last year team yeah Reggie Jackson had a $5.25 million player option he opted in but Denver we showed the the roster and and talked about their payroll issues there they needed more flexibility so they sent that contract to Charlotte along with three second round picks they had to incentivize the Hornets to take Reggie Jackson’s contct contct uh so without Jackson potentially without Caldwell Pope you mentioned some of the other veterans perimeter players Bruce Brown ish Smith uh Jeff Green who have gone out the door in recent years Bruce Brown was their their deao backup point guard by the way even though it’s not his natural position right right so the challenge becomes with out salary cap space with limited assets to exceptions and things like that how do you replace those guys you know and and and Veteran minimum is something that every team in the league can offer at any time that’s not appealing to Veterans especially at this stage in free agency maybe guys uh Greg if their Market dries up they eventually get there in their minds but nobody’s excited now we the free agency to take a veteran minimum when they think they have a market greater than that so Denver is going to have to get creative uh we’ll see if you know the more I think about Westbrook I think I like the fit when joic is on the bench right when yic or Murray on the bench especially to get you through the course of 82 games maybe not as much in the playoffs but in the regular season can eat up some minutes you can play a different way um because I struggle to find a experienced veteran guard in the $4 million range which is what Russell Westbrook makes a guy making that salary or less and that’s not far from the minimum that would help Denver in potentially impact winning or at least keep them competitive Matt to your point when joic is either on the bench or out of the lineup due to injury or foul trouble well and he’s you know we’ve seen what he can do physically as well they’re they’re kns he’s going to win them games if he winds up there oh there’s no question about it and I think that’s to to Ryan’s Point like you know you almost looked at Westbrook like a middle reliever you know he’s a guy that can eat minutes up for you in the regular season where you don’t have to put that strain onto a guy like joic onto Jamal Murray CU he plays with such energy and such force and remember this is a Denver team that likes to play Fast which I think really fits into what he is cuz remember even with the Clippers that first year he came over they didn’t play as fast they started to ramp up this past season with more Pace I think Denver provides more pace and I think the more Pace you play with the more impactful Russell Westbrook is and I also wouldn’t discount his impact of playing on the floor with joic I think joic is such a special player that he would find a way to get the best out of Russell Westbrook for stretches in the game especially in the regular season and then what happens is you develop trust over time now you get to the postseason I think it gives Michael Malone a little bit more flexibility we forget too you know at Russ’s size he can guard three positions you know sometimes you could even play him at the small forward depending on the matchup you know he plays a lot bigger than his frame and so those are things that you know over the course of a season you find out about a player a lot we’ve seen it happen many times where guys don’t seem to be as good but then they get in the right situation a case in point is Aaron Gordon he was a castoff for the Orlando Magic he come here and been a GU a godsend for the Denver Nuggets and so those situations happen based on your personnel so I wouldn’t be surprised if he went there and and found success Westbrook’s become a better cutter over the course of his career he’s a lob Target as well and just ask karon Gordon about what that means playing alongside Nicole yic it’s a great call and again anytime you play with a guy smack dab in his prime when you talk about yic listen he makes everybody better who’s on the floor and so you’re going to bring in a Hall of Fame Talent who still got a lot of juice in the tank I I I don’t think there’s any question about that again and you’re not asking him to come play 38 minutes a night I I think it would be a good listen they’ve got to improve their roster they two straight years now that they’ve gotten worse roster wise right they’ve lost a lot of impact uh they’re going to have to address that or they’re going to end up ultimately having to make a trade they’re also a pick light team from the deals they made you know bringing in Aaron Gordon uh sending out Reggie Jackson and some of the other moves they’ve made to upgrade the roster uh which have been generally good moves they won the championship a year ago and were one of the best teams again this year uh but to your point you don’t want a great player in his prime and Nicole yic who’s won three of the last four MVPs to feel like he’s in a declining situation uh Jamal Marius also up for an extension this year looks like they’re going to give him a Max so those two guys should be in Denver for a long time and joic and muray the question then becomes how do you build the best team around them and frankly with the new CBA are they able to do that with Michael Porter Jr and Aaron Gordon still on the roster I think um if Denver’s not able to do some other things and upgrade with lower salaries to a level they’re comfortable with they may have to explore the market for those guys and see if there’s somebody who’s maybe a better fit but also is more cost controlled long time especially as yic and Murray salaries continue to ascend going forward the free agency news continues spee spee fore then me fore foree fore fore spee for Fore foree fore fore speech for foree for foree fore spee for

NBA Gametime | Chris Haynes reports Clippers looking to trade Russell Westbrook to Nuggets