“He fits what a leader is as a point guard. Constantly just keeping guys uplifted,” Paul George said about Russell Westbrook’s ability to vocally lead the team on and off the court. Ironically, both teammates left the Clippers and took a new route on their NBA journeys. However, as the saying goes, ‘a leader is always a leader’ and Russ will take his expertise to Denver. That’s what a former hooper believes, expecting him to fully help Jamal Murray achieve an unrealized goal which Nikola Jokic failed to do, along with a harsh truth.

As we all know, Jokic & Co. were expected to defend their title last season but gave it all away in the playoffs’ second round. One of the main troublemakers was Murray, who failed to deliver when they needed him the most. And, importantly, the slump continued in the off-season, where the hooper struggled in the Paris Olympics, averaging a mere 6 points with 29.0% accuracy from the field. Amid this unsettled affair, the Nuggets attempted to lift Murray’s spirit by extending his contract for 4 years, with a whopping $208 million.

But will this be enough to get him back in rhythm? No, the Canadian star might require a driving force, and it’s none other than Russell Westbrook, Gilbert Arenas believes. The former Warrior went up a step further and declared that Beastbrook would fetch him the unattained glory of an All-Star appearance, something that was key for the Canadian veteran to get a bigger deal, like Jaylen Brown. However, Arenas made that claim along with a somber fact.

In the latest episode of Gil’s Arena, the crew discussed the Nuggets‘ possibilities at the Finals again, and that’s when the Jamal Murray situation surfaced. Speaking about it, Arenas said, “He might be Bubble Murray because Westbrook is gonna do something we don’t see. He’s going to challenge Murray to be better than he really was. He’s going to challenge Murray to be great.” Now that Arenas revealed Russ’ role in the Nuggets’ fold next season, he also added the grave injustice he would receive in return for his efforts.

What’s the harsh truth behind Russell Westbrook’s ‘uncredited’ efforts that Joker couldn’t achieve?

Gilbert Arenas continued to stress that Russell Westbrook would “push” Jamal Murray to greatness in the upcoming season. Above all, he also added a sad truth to his claim, saying that Russ wouldn’t get credit for his efforts in the end. The ex-player added, “If Murray goes out and makes an All-Star Game and becomes an All-Star, no one’s going to credit Russell but if you a hooper you know Russell’s going to be behind the scenes putting that battery in his back.” 

This is a conversation that has been looming in the NBA world throughout the off-season. Despite Murray’s consistent effort of averaging above 20 points in the last three regular seasons, he couldn’t make it to the All-Star game. Many experts came up with their own explanation, but this time, Arenas unlocked the answer for it.

Undoubtedly, the finger falls on the Serbian big man, Nikola Jokic. The 6x All-Star, who has been around Murray from the beginning, couldn’t push his Robin to attain the rare NBA honor. Nevertheless, with only a few days left for the new season to begin, fans would know the reality sooner. It’s not that Paul George, who also believes in Russ’ leadership, but the superstar himself does. Speaking of it in 2023, he said, “I feel like God has blessed me with that gift to be able to not just lead, but take criticism… my job as a point guard is to make sure that I see what’s going on throughout the game and how I can help the other guys out.” 

So, we might see a more energized Nuggets side in the upcoming season. Do you feel the same? Let us know in the comments.