Russell Westbrook: It's 'an Honor' to Play with Nikola Jokić After Nuggets Contract

Russell Westbrook says he is "grateful" to get the chance to play with reigning MVP Nikola Jokić when joining the Denver Nuggets this fall.

"To be on the floor with him is a grateful honor, and I'm grateful for that," Westbrook told reporters on Thursday. "He does so many different things on the floor that allows other people to be great, and I'm just happy to be a part, and not playing against him, or scouting against him, and I'm able to see his greatness up close, and see the things he's able to do."

Westbrook added: "This team has always been at the top of the Western Conference, always contending. They play the right brand of basketball."

Jokić similarly shared excitement about the Nuggets' decision to ink Westbrook to a two-year veteran minimum contract this summer.

"I know who he is a little bit, outside of the court," Jokić said. "Great teammate. Work hard. Leadership... I think he's a great, great player for us, and I think he's going to bring all the good stuff."

Westbrook, who spent the 2023-24 season as a sixth man for the Los Angeles Clippers, is likely to back up point guard Jamal Murray this fall.

When asked what it was like to scout Jokić as an opponent, Westbrook told reporters, "You just hope that he misses. There's nothing you can do... you want to be able to be on the team with somebody that's literally unguardable."

Westbrook averaged 11.1 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.5 assists in 68 appearances and 11 starts during his 16th NBA season.

He began the 2023-24 campaign as a starter before sliding into a bench role following the team's addition of star point guard James Harden.

Clippers head coach Ty Lue initially said Westbrook's new role, which marked his first time as a reserves player since his rookie 2008-09 season, would require some "adjustment."

By the time the postseason rolled around, Westbrook appeared to be embracing his new role. He told reporters (h/t ESPN's Ohm Youngmisuk) that there "ain't nobody better than me coming off the bench in this league" ahead of the Clippers' six-game first-round loss to the Dallas Mavericks.

After being signed and traded to the Utah Jazz and waived into free agency, Westbrook is set to embrace that role once more in Denver, although there is a chance he could step up to start on the first unit alongside Jokić should Murray miss significant time due to injury for a sixth straight season.

While serving as backup, however, Westbrook said his job will be "to push Jamal to be the best he can be."

Westbrook signed his two-year, $6.8 million deal with the Nuggets, which includes a player option for the 2025-26 season, to help Denver fill out some of the guard depth lost with the departures of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Reggie Jackson.

If Murray can remain healthy and Westbrook can thrive in a protected role, the two could potentially help Jokić and the Nuggets recover from last year's disappointing second-round exit and make a deeper postseason run next spring.