Russell Westbrook is headed to free agency.
The 2017 NBA MVP has declined his $3.5 million player option with the Denver Nuggets and will become an unrestricted free agent this offseason, as per NBA insider Marc Stein.
Denver’s Russell Westbrook is declining his player option for next season to become an unrestricted free agent on June 30, league sources tell @TheSteinLine.
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) June 13, 2025
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Senior league insider in Shams Charania also reported the development.
Breaking: Nuggets guard Russell Westbrook has declined his $3.4M player option for next season and will become a free agent on June 30, a source told @ShamsCharania.
— ESPN (@espn) June 13, 2025
Westbrook played in 75 games and started 36 times for Denver this past season — his most since 2020-21 — and averaged 13.3 points, 6.1 assists and 4.9 rebounds while shooting 44.9% from the field.
He also played a steady role off the bench in the postseason, where he submitted 11.7 markers and 3.7 boards as the Nuggets reached the Western Conference semifinals before falling to the top seed Oklahoma City Thunder in seven games.
The 36-year-old’s energy and playmaking proved valuable for Denver too as the 2023 champion leaned on the former nine-time All-Star during key stretches — particularly when starting point guard Jamal Murray was sidelined.
Westbrook underwent surgery last month to repair two breaks in his right hand, but is expected to be cleared in time for training camp.
Denver had signed him after he was waived by Utah in July 2024. Previously, Westbrook had a short-lived partnership with James Harden and LA Clippers that eventually fizzled out and led to his departure from the team.
A two-time scoring champion, the veteran guard holds career averages of 21.2 points, 8.0 assists and 7.0 rebounds across 1,237 games with the Thunder, Rockets, Wizards, Lakers, Clippers and Nuggets.
He is the league' s all-time leader in triple-doubles with 203 and ranks eighth in career assists (9,925) and 23rd in points (26,205).
But Westbrook now enters free agency in search of what could be his final NBA chapter.
