Positive and negative value -34, Westbrook ended in a bleak situation, responding to player options smartly, and whereabouts of the future are a mystery

On May 19, 2025, the Denver Nuggets defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder 93-125 in the tiebreaker, and stopped in the Western Conference semi-finals.

In this loss, the performance of 36-year-old veteran Russell Westbrook undoubtedly became the most controversial topic after the game - he made 2 of 7 shots in the game, scored only 6 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists, and the plus-minus value on the court was as low as -34, setting a record for his worst career in his personal playoff career.

In this game, Westbrook felt cold on the offensive end during his 21-minute playing time, and his defensive end was repeatedly targeted by Alexander, Jaylen Williams and others.

More ironic is that when he was on the court, the Nuggets lost 34 points, and when he got off the court, the team beat the Thunder by 12 points. Such data comparison undoubtedly casts a shadow on his future direction. After the game, when the reporter asked whether he would implement the $3.4 million player option next season, Westbrook did not respond positively, but asked the reporter: "What are you wearing tomorrow?" After the reporter said he "don't know", he replied meaningfully: "It's true."

This ridiculous response quickly sparked heated discussions among fans - is he hinting that his future is also full of uncertainty? Or simply refuse to discuss this topic?

This season's playoffs, Westbrook averaged 12.2 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game, shooting percentage of 39.7%, three-point shooting percentage of 31%, and free throw percentage of 70%. The overall efficiency further declined compared with the regular season (13.3 points, 4.9 rebounds and 6.1 assists).

Especially in the second round of the series against the Thunder, his performance was a disaster - he averaged 9.9 points and 2.4 assists per game, shooting percentage of 34.8%, shooting percentage of 21.9% of three-pointers, 2.6 turnovers per game, and the total plus-negative value was -92.

Westbrook signed a 1+1 contract with the Nuggets in the offseason last year, and next season is a player option of $3.47 million. He will decide whether to execute it before June 30.

At present, the Nuggets may not take the initiative to keep him, especially considering the team's salary pressure (Jokic, Murray, Porter Jr., and Gordon have a salary of more than 160 million yuan next season) and the growth needs of young players (Braun, Watson).

If the contract is out, Westbrook's market situation is also not optimistic - although he was once a superstar at the MVP level, now at the age of 36, his athletic ability has dropped sharply, his projection stability is insufficient, and his defensive end is also easily targeted.

Previously, there was news that the Clippers, Suns and other teams might be interested in him, but it is likely that they will only provide a basic salary contract.

But no matter what, this former MVP has left an indelible mark in NBA history with his passion and fighting spirit.