On Thursday, the Clippers and Jazz announced a sign-and-trade agreement involving Russell Westbrook. According to Adrian Wojnarowski, sources have informed him that the Nuggets are anticipated to acquire Westbrook once Utah buys out his contract and waives him.
The Jazz traded guard Kris Dunn to the Clippers in the sign-and-trade transaction. According to Wojnarowski, the Clippers and Dunn have agreed on a three-year, $17 million deal with a non-guaranteed season in year three.
The trade reportedly also included a second-round selection for 2030, the right to choose center Balsa Koprivica (the 57th overall pick in the 2021 NBA draft), and $4.3 million in cash for Utah.
Westbrook returns off a 2023-24 season in which he averaged a career-low 11.1 points for the Clippers. Following the departures of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Reggie Jackson in free agency, the Nuggets might need a seasoned backup point guard who can bring energy and defense.
“I believe we need some assistance in the backcourt,” Nuggets general manager Calvin Booth told ”Altitude TV” on Tuesday. “We will endeavor to continue to discover and study the market. We have one roster space available, and I believe we will be satisfied if we can acquire a high-level guard.
Westbrook, 35, signed his $4 million deal last month, but Clippers head of basketball operations Lawrence Frank recently spoke with his agent to discover the best match for the nine-time All-Star after Paul George departed for the Philadelphia 76ers in free agency.
“Russ is an all-time great, and we were fortunate to have him here,” Frank said. “He increased the enthusiasm and intensity of the group. We look forward to watching him continue his successful career.
Westbrook began last season as the Clippers’ starting point guard. However, the Clippers traded for James Harden, and Westbrook was shifted to a sixth-man position immediately after, and the team went on a 26-5 run during their finest period.
Westbrook also played 22.5 minutes a game, which is a career low, and made 4.5 assists. Second Spectrum monitoring indicates that among players who challenged 300 or more attempts last season, the fan favorite was fourth in field goal % allowed, demonstrating some of his greatest individual defensive performances.
George, Westbrook’s buddy and former Thunder teammate, often played in doubles. The Clippers are now going ahead with Kawhi Leonard and Harden, while also signing defensive-minded players in free agency, including Dunn, Derrick Jones Jr., and Nicolas Batum.
Dunn shot 36.9% from beyond the arc in 66 games, which was his best performance since his rookie year (2016)โ17. He averaged 5.4 points, 3.8 assists, and 1.0 steals.
Dunn also placed sixth in deflections per 36 minutes among players who played at least 1,000 minutes, according to Stats & Information. The Clippers pursued Dunn, a defensive player, early in free agency.
Was Russell Westbrook on the Jazz?
Westbrook has been moved five times since 2019, the most by a previous league MVP, and this is his second consecutive year in Utah. The Lakers traded him to the Jazz at the 2023 NBA trade deadline, but he was released 11 days later and signed with the Clippers.
What does jazz get in the Westbrook trade?
The Los Angeles Clippers have signed guard Kris Dunn in a sign-and-trade with the Utah Jazz in exchange for guard Russell Westbrook, the right to swap second-round draft picks in 2030, the draft rights to center Balsa Koprivica, and cash considerations, according to President of Basketball Operations Lawrence Frank.
