Entering Year 17, Russell Westbrook found himself on the wish-list of three-time MVP, Nikola Jokic. The Serbian center took time off from his summer horse racing and urged the Nuggets’ front office to pursue Westbrook this off-season. It was an uncharacteristic move from the typically nonchalant superstar.
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However, through the first few games of the 2024-25 season, fans and media members have questioned Russ’ fit on Denver’s poorly spaced roster. One anonymous NBA scout took his criticism even a step further, recommending that the 2017 MVP hang up his boots if he can’t find his rhythm.
“They [Denver] need to cut Russ. He can’t shoot. They have no spacing when he’s on the court. Teams are literally daring him to shoot and just crowding Jokic in the paint. And when he drives to the rim, he gets so deep and out of position that he can’t hit layups,” the NBA Scout told Hoops Wire.
“Russ needs to retire. He’s not a good player anymore,” he added.
For a player who was an All-Star in 2020 and led the league in assists in 2021, this is certainly a bitter pill to swallow. But how much truth is there in the criticism piling up against Russell Westbrook? Is he really having a historically inefficient season?
And is his impact on the team a total negative? Let’s dive into the statistics from Brodie’s first three games in Mile High city and try to answer these burning questions.
Which came first – poor spacing or Russell Westbrook?
With multiple non-shooters on the floor, the Denver Nuggets have been unable to earn the respect of opposing defenses. Even scorers like Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. are not forcing the opposition to step up on their shots, leaving the defense more leverage to zone in on Nikola Jokic.
This is where Westbrook’s inefficiency has created the most problems for Denver. Through three games, he has made 5 of his 25 shot attempts and converted just 1 of his 10 three-point attempts. Brodie’s field goal percentage and three-point percentage are both at a dismal 11% to start the season with his true shooting percentage coming in at 19.4%.
Russ’ most efficient performances have come alongside Aaron Gordon. The duo are making 5 of their 12.7 field goals when they are on the court together, shooting 39.7% from the field and 35.7% from deep. However, the team hasn’t benefited from this as Westbrook and Gordon’s plus/minus when they’re on the floor together is still -5.
Even when Westbrook has shared the court with Murray (-2.7), Porter Jr. (-8.7) or Jokic (-4.3), Denver hasn’t been in winning positions. Part of this is because of the decline in Russ’ athleticism through the years. He was always a streaky shooter but his ability to get downhill and convert at the rim made him a positive contributor on offense.
While the expectation in Denver was not that they were landing that same rim-attacking version of Westbrook, his fit with the roster has been poor regardless. He is dropping just 3.5 assists per game, far too few for the lead guard of the Nuggets’ second unit.
It’s important to note that a significant factor has been the overall shooting on the roster. Julian Strawther, Aaron Gordon and Nikola Jokic are the only the players hitting over 40% of their threes so far. Surrounding Westbrook with inefficient shooters is just going to make it easier for the defense to sag off the perimeter and clog up the paint.
With the lack of shooting around him, Brodie himself also needs to scale down his shooting as the team doesn’t need his 4.5 three-point attempts when he’s making just 0.5 threes per game. However, this isn’t to say that Russ and the Denver Nuggets cannot find ways to be effective.
Mike Malone’s lineups have put the 35-year-old in the worst position to succeed. Instead of having him run most of his minutes alongside the non-shooting bench, Westbrook would fit better with the starting lineup. His speed and athleticism might not be the same, but he still has the instincts to be an effective cutter alongside Jokic.
Furthermore, in a lineup with MPJ, Gordon and the Joker, Westbrook can defer the three-point responsibilities to more effective shooters. At the same time, his motor and IQ can provide some much needed support to the Nuggets’ defense as Brodie is averaging 1.5 blocks and 1.5 steals per game to begin the season.
Of course, even with the best case scenario for Russell Westbrook, Mike Malone needs more from Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr., as the Nuggets currently boast the second-lowest offensive rating (102.9) among all teams. MPJ, in particular, has struggled to begin the year, shooting just 20% from deep on 8 attempts per game.
If Porter Jr. and Murray can find their groove over the next few weeks and score over 20 points with decent efficiency, that will automatically open up the floor for the rest of the team – including their veteran guard, Russell Westbrook.
