Michael Malone's words hint that Westbrook will be a Nugget soon

At this point, it has become obvious that Russell Westbrook will begin the 2024-25 NBA season with a team other than the LA Clippers. His days with the team unfortunately became numbered the day the front office agreed to a trade for James Harden. With Westbrook forced back to coming off the bench, his level of play suffered in a big way.

Add in Russ' recent social media activity that has Clippers fans concerned, and his departure is an absolute formality. Some fans may still be sad to see him go, but with the Clippers' roster now much more deep and with younger talent coming in, his departure is likely for the best.

We already know that there are a few teams that could become suitors for a Westbrook trade. In the event that no partner is found, the Clippers are open to simply waiving him. But if a trade is still on the table, one team comes to the forefront as a partner to get a deal done: the Denver Nuggets.

Malone said the Nuggets still need a backup point guard

There was already a report from Shams Charania confirming that the Nuggets were considered "the front runner" to land Westbrook, but Denver Head Coach Michael Malone recently revealed that we could be even closer to a deal than perhaps expected. Appearing on ESPN, Malone discussed the Nuggets' current roster needs.

He specifically addressed the team needing a backup point guard. "Somebody to play behind Jamal Murray," said the championship-winning head coach. "[General Manager] Calvin Booth is all over it."

From the sound of it, a deal could be in the works for Denver to land Westbrook as we speak. This is certainly something to monitor in the coming days as the Clippers look to move on from the former MVP.