Crafting a Nuggets-Clippers trade to send Russell Westbrook to Denver

Russell Westbrook picked up his $4 million player option for the 2024-25 season, avoiding the free agent process and instead forcing the Los Angeles Clippers to explore trade options. The 35-year-old is believed to desire a more substantial role and LA appeared to acquire Westbrook's replacement on Monday, signing Kris Dunn away from the Utah Jazz.

It's not immediately clear how much of a market there is for Westbrook's services. He's a divisive player, to put it mildly. His MVP production and impact is well in the rearview mirror. In fact, Westbrook is far removed from the status of everyday starter at this point. Whether he personally agrees or not, Westbrook is best viewed as a change-of-pace bench guard whose athleticism can shift the momentum of games in short bursts.

Not many contenders need a ball-dominant second unit creator, but there does appear to be at least one interested team. Or perhaps one interested player. According to DNVR's Harrison Wind, Nikola Jokic is pushing the Denver Nuggets behind the scenes to acquire Westbrook.

That sentence is a real doozy. It implies two previously unfathomable facts: that Nikola Jokic allows the front office to contact him during the offseason, and that the greatest player in the world desperately wants Russell Westbrook on his team.

I am not sure two players have ever been more antithetical in their approach to the game of basketball. Jokic is the ultimate connector — a genius passing hub who processes the game at light speed and prioritizes teammates. Westbrook loves to pass, but he's mainly focused on pressuring the rim and creating advantages with his athleticism. Jokic picks the lock. Westbrook kicks the door down.

It would be absolutely fascinating to see them on the court together. It would have been easier for Denver to sign Westbrook as a free agent, but a trade isn't out of the picture. Here's how it could work.

Nuggets-Clippers trade to land Russell Westbrook in Denver

Reggie Jackson was in Denver on a comparable expiring contract a couple days ago, but the Nuggets dumped that salary (along with several second-round picks) to ease tax burdens. As a result, Denver needs to get a bit more creative.

The easiest path to matching salaries without sacrificing (important) young talent, such as Julian Strawther or Jalen Pickett, is to offload Zeke Nnaji and his albatross four-year, $32 million contract. The Nuggets need to give up a couple second-round picks to coax Los Angeles into taking on long-term salary, but it's a reasonable upside swing on frontcourt depth for the Clips. For the Nuggets, it's a solution to the backup point guard conundrum.

In a comical twist of fate, the Nuggets more or less need to take back Bones Hyland's expiring contract to match salaries and grease the wheels on the trade machine. The falling out between Hyland and Denver wasn't pretty, but he can either mend bridges or find his way to a different team. One has to believe Nuggets GM Calvin Booth is willing to rope in a third team if it means placating his three-time MVP.

Jokic wants Westbrook. That is the plain truth of it, apparently. It's a bit strange to imagine Jokic asking for favors behind the scenes, but every other superstar does it. If this were LeBron James, or Giannis Antetokounmpo, or Joel Embiid, we wouldn't bat an eye. It's just the fact that Jokic is asking for Westbrook that makes a few head spins.

I'll go ahead and say it, though: I like it. Jokic should get the best out of Westbrook's violent rim attacks. If Russ is willing to decisively slash off the catch and embrace a secondary role — I know, pie in the sky — there's still value to be mined from his rim pressure and open-court athleticism. The Jokic hit-ahead passes to Russ in transition... that sounds fun.

Maybe it's foolish to invest in the idea of Russ as a winning player in 2024, but if it's going to work anywhere, why not Denver?