Ohm Youngmisuk, ESPN Staff WriterJul 26, 2024, 03:59 PM ET
- Ohm Youngmisuk has covered the Giants, Jets and the NFL since 2006. Prior to that, he covered the Nets, Knicks and the NBA for nearly a decade. He joined ESPNNewYork.com after working at the New York Daily News for almost 12 years and is a graduate of Michigan State University.
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Russell Westbrook‘s deal to join the Denver Nuggets will be a two-year, veteran minimum contract with a player option for 2025-26, his agent Jeff Schwartz of Excel Sports told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
The deal is worth $6.8 million, a source told ESPN.
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Westbrook, who was in Denver to sign the deal Friday, is joining the Nuggets after he was traded by the LA Clippers to the Utah Jazz last week in a sign-and-trade deal for guard Kris Dunn. That trade, which included a second-round pick swap, was made to pave the way for the former MVP to sign with Denver once Utah waived Westbrook, which happened Saturday.
The Nuggets can use a veteran backup point guard who can provide energy, defend and be a spot starter after Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Reggie Jackson left in free agency.
Westbrook, who started the season as the starting point guard before moving to a sixth-man role after the Clippers traded for James Harden, joins forces with reigning MVP Nikola Jokic. Westbrook is the career leader in triple-doubles with 199, and Jokic ranks fourth with 130.
Westbrook averaged 11.1 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.5 assists in 22.5 minutes per game last season.
