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Ohm Youngmisuk, ESPN Staff Writer
The Clippers and Jazz agreed to a sign-and-trade deal involving Russell Westbrook, the teams announced Thursday, and sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski that the former MVP is expected to join the Nuggets after Utah waives him and buys out the remainder of his contract.
The Clippers received guard Kris Dunn from the Jazz as part of the sign-and-trade deal. The Clippers and Dunn agreed to a three-year, $17 million contract with a non-guaranteed season in the third year, sources told Wojnarowski.
Utah also received a 2030 second-round pick swap, the draft rights to center Balsa Koprivica, who was the 57th pick in the 2021 NBA draft, and $4.3 million in cash, sources said.
Westbrook is coming off a 2023-24 season in which he averaged a career-low 11.1 points for the Clippers. The Nuggets can use a veteran backup point guard who can provide energy and defend after Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Reggie Jackson left in free agency.
“I think we need some help in the backcourt,” Nuggets general manager Calvin Booth told ”Altitude TV” on Tuesday. “We are going to try to continue to identify that and survey the market. We have a roster spot left and I think if we can add a high-level guard, we will be happy with that.”
Westbrook, 35, opted in to his $4 million contract last month, but Clippers president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank recently had talks with Westbrook’s agent to find the right fit for the nine-time All-Star after Paul George left for the Philadelphia 76ers in free agency.
“Russ is an all-time great, and we were fortunate to have him here,” Frank said in a statement. “He lifted the energy and intensity of the group. We look forward to seeing him continue his decorated career.”
Westbrook went into last season as the starting point guard for the Clippers. But LA traded for James Harden, and Westbrook moved to a sixth-man role shortly after and the Clippers proceeded to go on a 26-5 run during their best stretch.
Westbrook also averaged career lows of 4.5 assists and 22.5 minutes. But the fan favorite played some of the best individual defense of his career, ranking fourth in field goal percentage allowed as the contesting defender among players to contest 300-plus shots last season, according to Second Spectrum tracking.
Westbrook often was paired with George, his friend and former Thunder teammate, together on the court. The Clippers now are moving forward with Kawhi Leonard and Harden while adding defensive-minded players such as Dunn, Derrick Jones Jr. and Nicolas Batum in free agency.
Dunn averaged 5.4 points, 3.8 assists and 1.0 steals while shooting 36.9% from 3-point range in 66 games — his most since his rookie season in 2016-17.
Dunn also ranked sixth in deflections per 36 minutes among players to play at least 1,000 minutes, according to research by ESPN Stats & Information. The Clippers targeted the defensive-minded Dunn early in free agency.