The Denver Nuggets signed veteran guard Russell Westbrook to a two-year, $6.8 million deal over the summer. The nine-time All-Star isn’t the same player he used to be, but while entering his 16th NBA season, the Nuggets are hoping he can help them return to the NBA Finals. Westbrook, 35, is already preparing for 2024-25. He appeared in a workout video posted by SLAM photographer BelikeMike’s Instagram page.
In the video, Westbrook takes corner threes with his feet touching the out-of-bounds line.
Westbrook’s shooting triggered conflicting responses from NBA fans.
“Russ would be an all-star if he did that during the season,” one fan wrote to his X, formerly Twitter, to which another fan replied, “He is not that guy.”
“Never missing he’s a legend,” another fan added, who wasn’t clear if his comment was said in jest.
“He out of bounds dawg,” a fan astutely observed from Westbrook’s three-point shooting
Westbrook averaged a career-low 11.1 points, shooting at 27.3% from deep, 5.0 rebounds, and 4.5 assists last season. 2023-24 marked the lowest 3-point shooting percentage of his career.
Brian Windhorst, Tim Bontemps rip Nuggets’ Russell Westbrook signing
The Denver Nuggets signed Russell Westbrook over the summer to improve their bench in 2024-25. After watching 2023 champion Kentavious Caldwell-Pope sign a three-year, $66 million contract with the Orlando Magic, the Nuggets reeled in a double-digit scoring guard with experience and in pursuit of his first NBA championship. However, some believe Westbrook should keep his three-point shooting days in the rearview mirror of his career, including ESPN analysts Brian Windhorst and Tim Bontemps.
Windhorst and Bomtemps suggested Westbrook stop shooting threes. Speaking on the Hoops Collective podcast, they explained why Westbrook’s outside touch could hurt the offense rather than help it.
“Their fourth-leading volume shooter was Reggie Jackson, who actually shot it pretty well. That’s the one thing he did well. They replaced him with Russell Westbrook who is literally the worst volume three-point shooter in the history of the NBA,” Bontemps said. “I mean, he shouldn’t shoot any.”
Windhorst strongly agreed with Bontemps.
“I wouldn’t let him shoot any more threes ever again quite honestly,” Windhorst said.
Reggie Jackson, another free-agent guard the Nuggets let walk during the offseason, averaged 10.2 points and 3.8 assists while shooting 35.9% from three last season. The Nuggets traded Jackson to the Charlotte Hornets as part of a six-team sign-and-trade, including the Philadelphia 76ers, Golden State Warriors, Dallas Mavericks, and Minnesota Timberwolves.
In July, Jackson reached a buyout with the Hornets before signing a one-year, $3.3 million contract with the 76ers.