Nuggets veteran Russell Westbrook’s offseason exercise attracts combined fan evaluations

The Denver Nuggets signed veteran guard Russell Westbrook to a two-year, $6.8 million deal over the summer time. The nine-time All-Star isn’t the identical participant he was, however whereas getting into his sixteenth NBA season, the Nuggets are hoping he will help them return to the NBA Finals. Westbrook, 35, is already making ready for 2024-25. He appeared in a exercise video posted by SLAM photographer BelikeMike’s Instagram web page.

Within the video, Westbrook takes nook threes along with his ft touching the out-of-bounds line.

Westbrook’s taking pictures triggered conflicting responses from NBA followers.

“Russ could be an all-star if he did that through the season,” one fan wrote to his X, previously Twitter, to which one other fan replied, “He’s not that man.”

“By no means lacking he’s a legend,” one other fan added, who wasn’t clear if his remark was stated in jest.

“He out of bounds dawg,” a fan astutely noticed from Westbrook’s three-point taking pictures

Westbrook averaged a career-low 11.1 factors, taking pictures at 27.3% from deep, 5.0 rebounds, and 4.5 assists final season. 2023-24 marked the bottom 3-point taking pictures proportion of his profession.

Brian Windhorst, Tim Bontemps rip Nuggets’ Russell Westbrook signing

The Denver Nuggets signed Russell Westbrook over the summer time to enhance their bench in 2024-25. After watching 2023 champion Kentavious Caldwell-Pope signal a three-year, $66 million contract with the Orlando Magic, the Nuggets reeled in a double-digit scoring guard with expertise and in pursuit of his first NBA championship. Nonetheless, some consider Westbrook ought to preserve his three-point taking pictures days within the rearview mirror of his profession, together with ESPN analysts Brian Windhorst and Tim Bontemps.

Windhorst and Bomtemps recommended Westbrook cease taking pictures threes. Talking on the Hoops Collective podcast, they defined why Westbrook’s exterior contact might damage the offense fairly than assist it.

“Their fourth-leading quantity shooter was Reggie Jackson, who truly shot it fairly effectively. That’s the one factor he did effectively. They changed him with Russell Westbrook who’s actually the worst quantity three-point shooter within the historical past of the NBA,” Bontemps stated. “I imply, he shouldn’t shoot any.”

Windhorst strongly agreed with Bontemps.

“I wouldn’t let him shoot any extra threes ever once more fairly actually,” Windhorst stated.

Reggie Jackson, one other free-agent guard the Nuggets let stroll through the offseason, averaged 10.2 factors and three.8 assists whereas taking pictures 35.9% from three final season. The Nuggets traded Jackson to the Charlotte Hornets as a part of a six-team sign-and-trade, together with the Philadelphia 76ers, Golden State Warriors, Dallas Mavericks, and Minnesota Timberwolves.

In July, Jackson reached a buyout with the Hornets earlier than signing a one-year, $3.3 million contract with the 76ers.