The Los Angeles Clippers traded Russell Westbrook to the Utah Jazz to acquire Kris Dunn. The Jazz soon waived Westbrook, and he signed with the Denver Nuggets. Westbrook reflected on his two-year stint with the Clippers, praising everyone in the club and its fans.

“I thank Mr. Ballmer and the entire Clipper Organization for the opportunity. Clipper Nation, thank you! I had a great time with you all, playing in my favorite city in front of my family and friends. I want to thank all of my teammates for embracing and supporting me over the last two years. To ALL OF MY FANS! You don’t realize how much your support means to me. You keep me motivated and energized. I have the most dedicated and amazing fans in sports. Looking forward to seeing you all next season!”

We didn’t see a post like this when Westbrook left the Lakers, indicating that he’s not as offended by how the Clippers traded him. He expected to be a starter last season, but the acquisition of James Harden changed that. With Harden resigning with the team this summer, Westbrook appeared surplus to requirements.

Last season, Russ averaged 11.1 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 4.5 assists, while his Clippers replacement Kris Dunn averaged 5.4 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 3.8 assists for the Jazz. Dunn is a better match as Harden’s backup because of his defensive toughness and ability to adapt into any team’s offense.

Westbrook will want to play a key part on the Nuggets’ second unit, as the 35-year-old guard may have one last chance to win a championship next season.

Can Russell Westbrook have a positive impact on the Nuggets?Westbrook’s next decision has startled many fans, as he is joining the Nuggets, a team with which he does not appear to belong. The Nuggets have had a significant talent drain over the last two seasons, and they lack the assets to replace departing players like as Bruce Brown, Jeff Green, and Kentavious-Caldwell Pope.

While the franchise hopes that rising talents like Peyton Watson, Julian Strawther, and Christian Braun can step up to replace those players, it remains unclear how Westbrook will fit into this scenario.

Westbrook is replacing Reggie Jackson, who was traded by the Nuggets to the Charlotte Hornets. Jackson had more scoring versatility as a shooter than Nikola Jokic, and Westbrook’s lack of shooting made it difficult to see him playing alongside Jokic on the court. They already have a questionable shooter in the starting lineup in Aaron Gordon, so adding Russ would be problematic.

Hopefully, Westbrook can manage the second unit with all of their young studs well enough to keep the club competitive in non-Jokic minutes. But expecting that from Russ at this time may be too much, given his track record of failure in recent seasons.