Russell Westbrook is set to hit the free agent market after choosing to decline his player option with the Denver Nuggets next season, according to Marc Stein. Westbrook, 36, will be an unrestricted free agent on June 30 as he looks for his fourth team in as many seasons.
The former NBA MVP and nine-time All-Star spent this past season in Denver after signing a two-year, $6.8 million veteran minimum deal last June, with the second year being a player option. Had Westbrook picked up the option, he would have made $3,468,960 in 2025-26, per Spotrac, but the veteran is opting for a change of scenery.
In his lone season with the Nuggets, Westbrook shot 44.9% from the field while averaging 13.3 points, 6.1 assists, 4.9 rebounds and 3.2 turnovers per game. However, Westbrook struggled this postseason, shooting just 39.1% from the floor while averaging 11.7 points per game. He also recorded 34 assists compared to 30 turnovers. In Game 7 of the Western Conference semifinals against the Oklahoma City Thunder — his former team — Westbrook shot 2 of 7 from the field for six points, five rebounds and two assists while also recording an abysmal -34 plus/minus, tied for his worst plus-minus in a playoff game.
Westbrook announced in May that he was having surgery on his right hand to fix a pair of breaks that he suffered during the season. A few of his fingers on his right hand were heavily taped during the Nuggets’ playoff run.
Westbrook revitalized his career once again in Denver this season as a key contributor in the Nuggets’ rotation. Since departing Oklahoma City after the 2018-19 campaign, Westbrook has had stints with the Houston Rockets (2019-20), Washington Wizards (2020-21), Los Angeles Lakers (2021-23) and Los Angeles Clippers (2023-24) in addition to his one-year stint in Denver.
