As we head deeper into free agency, most big-name free agents have already finalized their fate for next season. However, the Denver Nuggets haven’t added anyone to their roster except Forward Dario Saric, and in turn, have lost key players like KCP and Reggie Jackson. Understanding the need of the hour, head coach Michael Malone made an urgent plea to the Nuggets front office as Nikola Jokić’s preferred option, Russell Westbrook still remains available in the market. But some fans might not be too fond of that idea.

Addressing the holes that the Nuggets need to fill this summer, Malone revealed what they need to get back to title contention, “Somebody to play behind Jamal Murray.” With Jamal’s lingering injury concerns that limited him to playing only 59 games this season, the Nuggets need a backup point guard who can regulate the offense while Murray is resting on the bench. And Malone claimed that the front office is working toward filling that void, “Calvin Booth’s all over it.”

Maybe Malone’s comments were his way of nudging the GM into ramping up his pursuit of Clippers’ veteran Russell Westbrook.

Recently opting into his $4 million player option for next season, Russ decided to stay away from free agency for now and remain a part of the Clippers’ roster. However, the Clippers and Russ’ agent are still working together to find a new home for the former MVP through a potential trade. With that possibility, Denver could be Westbrook’s next destination, as even Nikola Jokić himself has been pushing his team to make a move to acquire him.

On top of that, De’Andre Jordan has also been advocating for that move, knowing the energy Russ could bring to the team.

Is NBA World not in favor of Russell Westbrook’s trade to Denver?

While the Nuggets continue to be the frontrunners to land Russ this summer and Malone has made it known that they need a player like him as the backup point guard, a few fans on the internet do not want to see that happen.

As soon as Malone’s comments became public, one fan was not in favor of Westbrook moving to Denver. “NO! Don’t even think about Russ…….” Maybe the person was a Clippers fan who didn’t want to see Russ leave LA, or he believed that the former MVP might not help the Nuggets reach the mountaintop.

Once the most lethal guard in the league, Russ is way past his prime as he averaged only 11.1 points last season. And with his previous run with the Lakers turning out to be a major failure, fans might fear a similar fate in Denver as well.

Meanwhile, one fan even claimed that the Nuggets do not need to add a backup point guard as they already have someone to fill that role, rookie Trey Alexander. Signing a two-way deal after going undrafted, Trey is a great pickup for the Nuggets as he averaged 17.6 points along with nearly five assists in his final year in college. However, it is unlikely that he will be given the responsibility to run Denver’s offense right away, as this fan claims.

And one netizen urged the Nuggets to make a move for young guard Tyus Jones instead of an aging Westbrook.

Averaging twelve points and 7.3 assists in Washington last season, Jones could also fill the backup guard role in Denver. Moreover, due to him being only 28YO, the risk would be far lesser than adding Westbrook.

Amid all the chaos, one fan wondered if GM Booth was actually working toward improving the roster.

Maybe because they have made no significant moves so far to fill the void that KCP and Jackson’s departure has left, fans are having a hard time believing Malone’s comments.

However, one optimistic fan already envisioned Westbrook joining the Nuggets as he posted an AI-generated image of the new Big 3 of Jokic, Murray and Russ.

While Westbrook is not the superstar he once was, he still has a lot left in the tank and perfectly fits the role of a backup guard with the Clippers. Moreover, the energy he brings to the locker room could be exactly what the Nuggets need right now. What are your thoughts?