Russell Westbrook already has plans for how to take Denver Nuggets back to the top

The phrase "Russell Westbrook, Denver Nugget" will take some getting used to for NBA fans, but the 9X All-Star, 2017 NBA MVP, future Hall of Fame point guard sounds ready to hit the court for the Nuggets, based on what he had to say at Denver's Media Day on September 26th. When asked what his on-court role will be in Denver, Westbrook emphasized leadership.

In Denver, leadership will be a vital piece of Westbrook's role. He'll be expected to chaperone the Nuggets very young second unit and provide a veteran presence for players like Julian Strawther, Hunter Tyson, and Peyton Watson, all of whom will play important roles off Denver's bench. Watson, in his second season, developed into an impressive defender (2.1 blocks per 36 minutes) but will be asked to do more on both ends this season. Tyson and Strawther, meanwhile, have played 67 total NBA games combined, and are basically total mysteries entering the 2024-25 season. DeAndre Jordan and Dario Saric might split time at backup center, and while it's always nice to be able to call on players with experience, neither should be counted on for consistent minutes.

So, it's Russ and the youngsters. If nothing else, Westbrook will provide boundless energy as he always has. Even at 35, Russ plays every game like he's still in his early 20s, bringing a style of play that will doubtlessly energize the rest of the bench unit, a unit that Denver needs to overachieve if the team wants to make it back to the NBA Finals after a second-round exit last season.

Westbrook was also asked about making the transition from "Public Enemy No. 1" to a fan favorite in Denver, a question he handled with grace and some retrospection on his career to this point.

In regards to playing with three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic, Westbrook had nothing but positive things to say. "To be on the floor with him is a grateful honor, and I'm grateful for that. And he does so many things on the floor that allows other people to be great, and I'm just happy to be able to be a part and not playing against him or scouting against him," Westbrook said.

Does Russell Westbrook put Denver over the top?

Losing Bruce Brown and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in consecutive offseasons is pretty brutal — there's no way around it. Both of those guys played huge parts in Denver's title run, and both departed for greener pastures (aka bigger contracts) leaving Denver's bench a little barren of experience.

This Nuggets team's second unit looks drastically different than the bench of the 2023 NBA Finals team, with the subtraction of those two key role players and the addition of Russ being the biggest changes. And while Russ had a few years where it appeared he was quickly careening toward the end of his career, he really embraced a bench role on the Clippers last season and found success when he was tasked with less of a load on the court.

Does Russell Westbrook have the ability to vault a team from "very good" to "true contender" in 2024? Probably not. But he's still capable backup point guard if the system he's playing in knows how to maximize his strengths.