Earlier this week, the Denver Nuggets sent shockwaves throughout the basketball world when they fired head coach Michael Malone and general manager Calvin Booth with just three games remaining in the regular season and less than a week before the playoffs are set to begin.
Following Malone and Booth’s untimely firings, The Athletic put out a report claiming Westbrook was the ‘biggest lightning rod’ that put a wrench between the now-former head coach and general manager.
Russell Westbrook may have been the biggest lightning rod for Calvin Booth and Michael Malone’s style clash — and had an impact on the Nuggets’ locker room.
The latter stuck by Westbrook, despite recent erratic play. pic.twitter.com/Jn8OzmtSJn
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) April 10, 2025
However, the report didn’t sit well with former Milwaukee Bucks All-Star guard, Michael Redd, who responded to the report, saying the media’s narratives surrounding the former league MVP don’t reflect the thoughts of his peers in and around the game.
Don’t let media narratives about Russ Westbrook fool you.
Yes, he doesn’t play the media game. But he does play the actual game — with unmatched intensity every single night.
I’ve been in those NBA battles. Russ brings an effort level that’s A1 — practice, games, off-season… https://t.co/YCzqRbKbIV
— Michael Redd (@MichaelRedd_) April 12, 2025
Westbrook, 36, has been solid in 2025. The nine-time NBA All-Star is averaging 13.2 points per game to go along with 6.1 assists and 5.0 rebounds per contest while playing 28 minutes per night.
The Nuggets are currently in a six-team battle to determine the Western Conference’s three through eight seeds. Heading into the final weekend of the regular season, the Nuggets sit fourth in the conference, holding a tiebreaker with the Los Angeles Clippers, who hold the same record heading into Friday night’s action.
If the Nuggets were to slip up in their final two outings against the Memphis Grizzlies or Houston Rockets, they can mathematically fall out of the top six seeds in the conference and could find themselves in the play-in as a seven or eight seed.
