Thunder legend slated to sign with direct conference threat, join forces with 3x MVP

Since departing from the OKC Thunder back in the summer of 2019, Russell Westbrook's career has seen a turn for the worse.

Despite being an eight-time All-Star and an NBA MVP during his 11 year reign out in Loud City, during the five following his tenure the point guard has found himself suiting up for three separate organizations and, over time, lose his regular spot within a starting lineup.

Now, it appears Westbrook is slated to add yet another team to his playing resume, as ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski has officially reported that the LA Clippers are trading the veteran along with a future second-round pick swap and cash to the Utah Jazz in a sign-and-trade agreement for guard Kris Dunn.

This will be the second time in a little over a year that a Los Angeles-based team has shipped the 35-year-old out to Salt Lake City (the Lakers traded him to the franchise back in February of 2023) and, also for the second time during this time frame, Danny Ainge and company are not expected to retain his services, as Wojnarowski noted in a follow-up post on X (formerly Twitter) that they plan on agreeing to terms on a contract buyout, where "the expectation is that he’ll join the Denver Nuggets as a free agent."

Ex-Thunder great Russell Westbrook expected to sign with Nuggets

Denver has been rumored to be interested in adding the Thunder legend for some time now, with reports of a possible urge to pursue his services surfacing late last month.

Westbrook had himself a solid campaign with the Clippers in 2023-24, showcasing his ability to still contribute as a distributor and fast-break orchestrator within a playoff team's rotation. Logging 22.5 minutes a night, he would finish with averages of 11.1 points, 4.5 assists, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.1 steals while predominantly coming off the pine.

Westbrook now joins three-time league MVP Nikola Jokic and a Nuggets team that just finished second behind the top-seeded Thunder in the West standings in 2023-24 and is seen as a direct threat to contend for the conference crown during the upcoming 2024-25 season.

Per Wojnarowski, the signing of Westbrook is an attempt by the Nuggets to add "another veteran to bolster the team’s bench and be available as a spot-starter."