Westbrook reportedly set to join Nuggets

Russell Westbrook #0 of the Los Angeles Clippers waits after the Dallas Mavericks won 96-93 during Game 2 of a Western Conference first round playoff series at Crypto.com Arena on April 23, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. | AFP

The Denver Nuggets plan to sign NBA veteran Russell Westbrook as a free agent after the future Hall of Famer clears waivers, The Denver Post reported Thursday.

Westbrook opted into a $4 million player option in June to return to the Los Angeles Clippers. On Thursday, the Clippers traded him to the Utah Jazz in a sign-and-trade, with the Jazz expected to agree to a buyout with Westbrook that would allow him to join Denver.

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According to ESPN, the Clippers will acquire guard Kris Dunn from the Jazz in exchange for a second-round pick and cash.

Westbrook, 35, averaged 11.1 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.5 assists last season, mostly coming off the bench.

He started 11 regular season games for the Clippers, who won 51 games but lost to Dallas in the first round of the playoffs.

Westbrook is the player with the most triple-doubles in league history, with a total of 199 triple-doubles.

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He spent the first decade of his career with the Oklahoma City Thunder, and the Nuggets are his sixth team in seven seasons.

In Denver, he will team up with Serbian star Nikola Zucker, who is fourth on the all-time triple-double list with 130, chasing Westbrook’s triple-double total.

Zucker led the Nuggets to their first NBA title in 2023, but Denver lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves in seven games in the second round of the playoffs in May.

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