Nuggets' Top Free Agent Target Could Be More Obvious Than We Thought

The Denver Nuggets continue to search for help in free agency. Most recently, they reached overseas to sign reigning EuroLeague Best Defender Alpha Diallo, but they still have a couple of roster spots to fill. As we await their decisions with restricted free agents Peyton Watson and Spencer Jones, we continue to wonder why the franchise does not target veteran point guard Russell Westbrook.

The Nuggets have a clear need for guard depth and extra ball-handling. Sure, Westbrook left Denver in 2025 on a sour note, but as we look at the Nuggets' current roster, it becomes clearer that they need to patch up their relationship and bring him back.

What went wrong for Westbrook in Denver?

May 5, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Russell Westbrook (4) runs down the court after a play against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the second half during game one of the second round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Paycom Center. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

In his lone season with the Nuggets, Westbrook averaged 13.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, 6.1 assists, and 1.4 steals per game. His on-court production was undeniable, bouncing back after a few rough years with the L.A. Clippers and Los Angeles Lakers, but things still turned bad in the offseason.

Despite being a high-energy presence on the floor and a reliable backup point guard who was able to start 36 games in a forward-like position, Westbrook claims that the Nuggets told him not to come back. Westbrook had a team option for the 2025-26 season, but after opting out and signing with the Sacramento Kings, he admitted that it was not his choice to leave Denver.

"The truth is they didn't want me back. Ain't up to me," Westbrook said in November. "... They don't want me, that's O.K. Somebody else do. ... They told me not to [pick it up]. I don't go anywhere I'm not wanted."

Russell Westbrook on not returning to the Denver Nuggets:

“They didn’t want me back.”

…

“I don’t go anywhere I’m not wanted.”

On NOT picking up the player option:

“They told me not to.” pic.twitter.com/f4lno2Yutk
— DNVR Nuggets (@DNVR_Nuggets) November 4, 2025

While it remains unclear what went on behind the scenes that led to the Nuggets not wanting Westbrook back, was it bad enough for him not to consider returning to Denver under different circumstances?

Why Nuggets should want Westbrook back

Simply put, Westbrook provides everything the Nuggets are currently missing on their roster. With only two rostered backup guards in Tyus Jones and Julian Strawther, the Nuggets are desperate for more backcourt depth.

Denver needs a backup ball-handler and playmaker, and there is doubt that Jones can be the guy they lean on in that spot. Westbrook, however, is more than capable. Not only that, but he is a physical defender who holds his teammates accountable, and that could be what the Nuggets need after their hopeless disaster in the 2026 playoffs.

RUSSELL WESTBROOK LOCKS UP DEFENSIVELY...

AND FORCES THE JUMP BALL 😤🔒 pic.twitter.com/NS6tfXL5JK
— NBA (@NBA) May 11, 2025

Sure, there are concerns about how Westbrook fits into Denver's locker room, as there might have been issues that led to last year's breakup, but for such a valuable veteran leader, it is hard to imagine him not finding his spot anywhere he is welcomed. Of course, the bigger question is whether or not he is welcome in Denver.

On paper, Westbrook is the perfect free agency target for the Nuggets. It is hard to say whether or not they will actually target him without fully knowing what happened in the 2025 offseason, but his potential fit in the Nuggets' lineup is undeniably strong.

While an unlikely scenario, the Nuggets have to consider bringing back Westbrook as they search for improved guard depth.

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