Russell Westbrook’s Blunt Response on Returning to the Nuggets

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Chris Phelps | Last updated May 18, 2025 9:00 PM ET

After winning the NBA Finals just two seasons ago, Russell Westbrook and the Denver Nuggets couldn't get past the second round for a second straight season.

On Sunday, the Nuggets were handed a 125-93 Game 7 loss from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder, bringing their season to an end.

After Denver went up by as much as 11 points in the first quarter, taking a five-point lead into the second, it was all Thunder from there. Led by Gilgeous-Alexander's 35 points, OKC outscored the Nuggets 104-67 in the final three quarters, never giving Denver a chance.

Westbrook now finishes his first season with the Nuggets, still yet to win a championship ring. However, he signed a two-year, $6.77 million contract with Denver last offseason, with his second season (2025-26) being a player option.

After the loss, The Denver Gazette's Vinny Benedetto attempted to get an answer from Westbrook on whether he had made a decision on said player option. However, it seems the former Thunder guard will need to take some time to decide, ultimately saying, "I don't know."

"Tried to get Russell Westbrook in the locker room to see he had made a decision on his player option for next season," Benedetto wrote on X. "He looked at his watch and asked what I was wearing tomorrow. When I said I didn’t know, he said 'exactly' and walked off. Nuggets aren’t doing exit interviews."

Tried to get Russell Westbrook in the locker room to see he had made a decision on his player option for next season. He looked at his watch and asked what I was wearing tomorrow. When I said I didn’t know, he said “exactly” and walked off.
Nuggets aren’t doing exit interviews.
— Vinny Benedetto (@VBenedetto) May 18, 2025

Westbrook played a key role for Denver off the bench this season, averaging 13.3 points and 6.1 assists. However, he was not at his best in Game 7, recording six points and two assists with a plus/minus of -34, the worst on the team.

If Westbrook does elect to move on from the Nuggets, he could be heading to his seventh NBA team and the sixth since 2020.

For the Thunder, they will move on to the Western Conference Finals, where they will face Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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