Sources: Westbrook to join Nuggets after Clippers-Jazz trade

The Clippers and Jazz agreed to a sign-and-trade deal involving Russell Westbrook, the groups introduced Thursday, and sources instructed ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski that the previous MVP is predicted to hitch the Nuggets after Utah waives him and buys out the rest of his contract.

The Clippers obtained guard Kris Dunn from the Jazz as a part of the sign-and-trade deal. The Clippers and Dunn agreed to a three-year, $17 million contract with a non-guaranteed season within the third yr, sources instructed Wojnarowski.

Utah additionally obtained a 2030 second-round choose swap, the draft rights to middle Balsa Koprivica, who was the 57th choose within the 2021 NBA draft, and $4.3 million in money, sources mentioned.

Westbrook is coming off a 2023-24 season during which he averaged a career-low 11.1 factors for the Clippers. The Nuggets can use a veteran backup level guard who can present power and defend after Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Reggie Jackson left in free company.

“I feel we’d like some assist in the backcourt,” Nuggets basic supervisor Calvin Sales space instructed ”Altitude TV” on Tuesday. “We’re going to attempt to proceed to establish that and survey the market. We’ve a roster spot left and I feel if we will add a high-level guard, we will probably be proud of that.”

Westbrook, 35, opted in to his $4 million contract final month, however Clippers president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank not too long ago had talks with Westbrook’s agent to search out the appropriate match for the nine-time All-Star after Paul George left for the Philadelphia 76ers in free company.

“Russ is an all-time nice, and we had been lucky to have him right here,” Frank mentioned in a press release. “He lifted the power and depth of the group. We stay up for seeing him proceed his adorned profession.”

Westbrook went into final season as the place to begin guard for the Clippers. However LA traded for James Harden, and Westbrook moved to a sixth-man function shortly after and the Clippers proceeded to go on a 26-5 run throughout their finest stretch.

Westbrook additionally averaged profession lows of 4.5 assists and 22.5 minutes. However the fan favourite performed among the finest particular person protection of his profession, rating fourth in area objective proportion allowed because the contesting defender amongst gamers to contest 300-plus photographs final season, in accordance with Second Spectrum monitoring.

Westbrook typically was paired with George, his pal and former Thunder teammate, collectively on the court docket. The Clippers now are transferring ahead with Kawhi Leonard and Harden whereas including defensive-minded gamers corresponding to Dunn, Derrick Jones Jr. and Nicolas Batum in free company.

Dunn averaged 5.4 factors, 3.8 assists and 1.0 steals whereas taking pictures 36.9% from 3-point vary in 66 video games — his most since his rookie season in 2016-17.

Dunn additionally ranked sixth in deflections per 36 minutes amongst gamers to play at the very least 1,000 minutes, in accordance with analysis by ESPN Stats & Data. The Clippers focused the defensive-minded Dunn early in free company.