Russell Westbrook is on the move.
The Clippers have traded the nine-time All-Star to the Jazz for former top-five pick Kris Dunn, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. However, Utah will not be Westbrook's final destination.
The Jazz are expected to buy out Westbrook's contract, paving the way for him to sign with the Nuggets.
What did the Clippers give up to facilitate this deal that will land Westbrook in Denver? The Sporting News breaks down the trade below.
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Clippers get:
Jazz get:
The Clippers have worked a sign-and-trade to send Westbrook, a second-round pick swap and cash to the Jazz for Dunn, a 30-year-old former top-five pick.
LA signed Dunn to a three-year, $17 million deal following the trade, according to Bleacher Report's Chris Haynes.
Westbrook, meanwhile, will not be staying in Utah. The star guard will be bought out to chase his elusive first NBA championship and sign with the Nuggets.
At 35 years old, Westbrook is far from capable of making the MVP-level impact he once did, but there is no denying he has some energy left in the tank. He still averaged 11.1 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.1 steals over 22.5 minutes per game as a Sixth Man of the Year candidate for the Clippers this past season.
He'll likely fill a similar role for the Nuggets after they traded backup point guard Reggie Jackson earlier this offseason.
Westbrook will give Denver some much-needed guard depth, especially considering Jamal Murray's inability to stay healthy. Murray has only played in over 60 games once since the 2018-19 season, lowlighted by an ACL injury that cost him half the 2020-21 season and all of the 2021-22 season.
Westbrook still plays nearly every night and should be expected to slot in as an interim starter whenever Murray is banged up or needs a game off.
The NBA's all-time triple-double leader (199) will join forces with Nikola Jokic, whose 130 triple-doubles rank fourth in NBA history and second to Westbrook among active players.
This signing is a notable splash for a Denver team that has had a quiet offseason to this point.
2024-07-18T18:57:09Z dg43tfdfdgfd