Russell Westbrook is off to an atrocious start with the Denver Nuggets this 2024-25 season. When he joined the 2023 NBA champions, Russ knew he would be taking on a different role. Based on his performance in his first two games in a Nuggets jersey, the 2017 Most Valuable Player will need more time to find his role on the team.
However, Russ needs to figure that out fast. With the Nuggets off to a surprising 0-2 start, Westbrook does not have the luxury of time. Nuggets coach Michael Malone is expected to make adjustments moving forward and the nine-time All-Star could find himself in an uncomfortable situation.
Familiar challenge for Westbrook
Since leaving the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2019, Westbrook showed he could still deliver big numbers if he is in the lead. Unfortunately, all that changed when he started joining star-studded clubs such as the Los Angeles Lakers, LA Clippers, and the Nuggets.
One glaring difference is that Westbrook was always used to being a ball-dominant player. Aside from the Thunder, he was able to do that with the Houston Rockets and the Washington Wizards. However, most know that the Rockets and the Wizards weren’t exactly contenders in the seasons when Westbrook suited up. Hence, it was expected that he would be the top dog in the 2019-20 (Rockets) and the 2020-21 (Wizards) seasons.
With the Lakers, Westbrook failed to live up to expectations. Many wanted to see the triple-double demon out of him despite having a different role. He had his chance, especially when LeBron James and Anthony Davis were unavailable to play. But somehow, the former scoring champion failed to rise up to the challenge.
Nuggets are no Clippers
Despite his struggles, Westbrook was able to figure out how to be efficient when he played for the Clippers. With stars such as Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, and James Harden, Russ managed to coexist with his fellow All-Stars. Unfortunately, the effort was not enough, and he ended up getting traded in July to the Utah Jazz.
After getting waived, Westbrook caught a break after he was signed by the Nuggets. With Jamal Murray being the starting point guard, the three-time NBA assists leader was expected to come off the bench.
Denver expected Russ to inject some veteran presence in the locker room. However, Malone and company also expected him to provide help when fielded in during games. Thus far, his numbers have been dismal, placing him in a lot of heat.
As of this writing, Westbrook has averaged just 4.0 points, 3.5 assists, 3.0 rebounds, 1.5 steals, and 1.5 blocks in 20 minutes of action. With only a couple of games, critics feel Westbrook needs more time to adjust to the Nuggets system.
Malone is confident that the 35-year-old player will eventually figure it out. And it all starts by finding a way to co-exist with Murray and Nikola Jokic. Here's what Malone shared about Westbrook:
"As your career changes, your role changes sometimes. In his 17th year, I think Russ has gotten more comfortable and maybe a little bit more used to playing off the ball...It’s not going to be just the Russell Westbrook show. He’s coming to a team that is a ball movement, body movement team. With that said, I told him last summer, I still want Russell to be Russell. "
Asked Michael Malone how to balance Russell Westbrook's preference to play point guard with incorporating Westbrook on the floor with Jamal Murray and primary playmaker Nikola Jokic
— Law Murray 🏟️ (@LawMurrayTheNU) October 26, 2024
"It's not going to be just the Russell Westbrook show…(but) I still want Russell to be Russell." pic.twitter.com/6c4XUFEPWB
Malone’s line sounds familiar
Part of Malone’s statement sounds familiar, especially the one about wanting Russell to be Russell. When Westbrook was with the Lakers, Anthony Davis ironically mentioned something similar to that line.
“We tried to tell him to be himself. Don’t try to be anybody else,” Davis said of Russ back in 2021.
Although he was able to play good games with the Lakers at the time, the consistency of his efficiency waned. And as time passed, the Lakers realized that the Russell Westbrook experiment was a flop.
Could this be the case with the Nuggets? With only two games thus far, there is still time for Westbrook to turn things around. But if Denver continues to lose games, there could be repercussions.
One is possibly seeing Westbrook spending more time on the bench until he figures out to fit in. And the other, perhaps the most drastic one, is seeing the veteran guard getting cut from the team at some point.