It was one-and-done for Russell Westbrook last season, as he spent just a single year with the Denver Nuggets before moving on.
There was a lot of confusion among fans about why Westbrook was leaving Denver, but now the nine-time All-Star is shedding light on what happened.
“The truth is, they didn’t want me back. It ain’t up to me. If they don’t want me, that’s okay. They told me not to [pick up my player option]. I don’t go anywhere I’m not wanted,” Westbrook said.
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
Westbrook averaged 13.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 6.1 assists for the Nuggets during the 2024-25 season.
He looked comfortable with his new squad and seemed well-adjusted to starting or coming off the bench.
When the season came to an end, a lot of people assumed that he would sign a new deal with Denver.
Instead, Westbrook decided to test free agency, surprising people who knew that there weren’t many teams across the league vying for him.
Ultimately, and after much delay, he agreed to a contract with the Sacramento Kings.
Westbrook is claiming that the Nuggets didn’t want him, but it’s not clear what that means.
Perhaps they were willing to extend him and simply desired a smaller contract, or maybe they wanted him to take on a smaller role.
Or, like Westbrook states, maybe they didn’t want him at all.
There is still a lot of murkiness about what went down between Westbrook and the Nuggets, but he sounds firm and happy with his decision to leave.
For a while, it looked like he wasn’t going to find another team to play for, but he is now trying to bring the Kings back into Western Conference prominence.
So far this season, Westbrook has averaged 11.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.8 assists.
The post Russell Westbrook Speaks Out About Not Returning To Nuggets appeared first on The Cold Wire.
