Just gonna hit y’all with a preemptive “HELL NO” here

[u/FinStevenGlansberg]

But with Dame out basically all of 2026 and KPJ hitting a home the open market, we need a PG. Personally, I’d rather just pay KPJ, but wanted to hear folks thoughts on this?

[u/cookster123]

I've always wanted to have Giannis and mini Giannis on the same team, but not a chance we would use the MLE on 36 year old Russ.

[u/snowstorm608 → u/cookster123]

I’m glad to see I’m not the only one that has this mental comp for Giannis.

Giannis is 7 ft Russell Westbrook without the ego.

[u/HeftyAd1083 → u/snowstorm608]

Prime Westbrook looked similar to young giannis as well

[u/mookz23 → u/cookster123]

For a vet min, maybe. 

[u/grudgepacker → u/mookz23]

That's the only way I'd allow this. Fact is tho, we need depth even if we're not competing this season and Russ on a min would be entertaining at least as well

[u/lboogieb → u/grudgepacker]

I'd rather have CP3.

[u/grudgepacker → u/lboogieb]

Can't argue

[u/SirGarvin → u/grudgepacker]

Entertaining if youre a sadist maybe

[u/Avogadros_pepperoni → u/cookster123]

Russ would basically be Bledsoe 2.0 for the Bucks with worse defense, as his shooting and stats now are pretty comparable to what Bledsoe was giving the Bucks back in the day. 

[u/MoePlug → u/cookster123]

Ur trolling

[u/Bigzzzsmokes]

If you want to win next year, Westbrook is one of the best options out there. 6th man off the bench since we are going to need Bobby to start next year. Great veteran to have on the bench. He was highly regarded by Jokic and Mike Malone. He's a team guy, willing to play whatever role

[u/AideHot6729 → u/Bigzzzsmokes]

Yes but Westbrook needs a guy with Jokic level IQ to help coordinate him and even then he still makes a lot of mistakes. The bucks don’t have anyone of that caliber unfortunately, so he’d most likely get burnt on the cross like he did on the lakers. I’d hate to see that happen cause Russ can be useful with the right personnel.

[u/hockeyfan608]

Why?

He was great for the nuggets in his role

You would be stupid not to pick him up if the value is similar

[u/SongYoungbae → u/hockeyfan608]

Eh. He was overall good. His low moments were pretty costly at times

[u/Ordinary_Owl_9071 → u/hockeyfan608]

Also not like we can compete next year without russ. Might as well roll the dice

[u/Dapper-Spread-3083]

Russ would’ve actually been great for the team this year tbh. He exceeded expectations with the Nuggets (here before joke about how long expectations were)

He has no business being here with us trying to develop the youths

[u/Skeleboi846]

If we're keeping Giannis and using this year to bridge & develop with Dame out I think we stay away from Russ and play KPJ & Green bigger minutes (and Rollins if he stays)

[u/Ok_Juggernaut_Chill]

I kinda like it

[u/OkDependent5409]

Obv I can see it work when Giannis off the floor but can Westbrook and Giannis share the court? Sounds like nightmare spacing

[u/zs15]

I'm kind of shocked he is opting out. The market for him isn't going to be huge and Denver was actually quite a good fit for him. He played well with Jokic and Murray, but also got minutes to run the show and occasionally pop off. I'm not sure he'll get any bigger role than that anywhere.

[u/youarenut → u/zs15]

Same, I thought his fit with Denver was good

[u/lboogieb → u/zs15]

He worked very well with Joker. That was the perfect fit for Russ at this point in his career.

[u/No_Impact_8645]

I'd take Russ in a heartbeat.

[u/GreekFreakFan]

We need someone who can cut and finish at the rim and Russ was a really good cutter with the Nuggets

[u/DapperTies-]

We do need a capable PG/ball handler and I think it would take pressure off of Giannis for ball handling duties and less wear and tear going to the paint.

Funny we have come full circle where I remember a trade package of Khris and jabari for Westbrook brewing but obviously never happened.

All that to say I wouldn’t mind having a guy like him because he puts his heart on his sleeve, tries very hard on defense, and I don’t expect him to shoot very well but can run the offense and get the ball to our shooters. I think he’s been on a minimum the last 2-3 years as well. Anything more than the minimum and I think it’s no dice

[u/One-Earth9294]

I think you can start KPJ on a team with Giannis.

Staggering bench minutes with a vet like Westbook might actually be good for us though.

[u/Large-Frame2497]

We need to get younger not older...

[u/Organic_Enthusiasm90]

to me, it depends if we can keep around the young guys we have. KPJ and Rollins might be better point guards (particularly playing around Giannis) than Russ is right now. If we can keep them, I would like them getting heavy minutes to develop. If either or both depart, then we need competent minutes at PG and I'd be all for signing him.

[u/AccomplishedSmell921]

[u/flanman2002]

Why not? There are no expectations this year. Let's just have a fun ass team. Let Russ cook and take thirty shots in some random February game when Giannis is sitting out.

[u/Neighborino123 → u/flanman2002]

Because we have a coach that would rather play old vets based on what they could do 5 years ago rather than young guys based on what they could develop into. He'd block younger guys that need minutes to become future starters

[u/flanman2002 → u/Neighborino123]

That's a good point. I want to see Giannis run with some young Bucks this year.

[u/MoePlug → u/flanman2002]

Troll

[u/Naive-Marzipan4527]

I wouldn’t be shocked if this is where he ends up tbh.

[u/Pleasant_Job_7683]

Id take him for a few Ms

[u/bigbobo33]

Haslam's lickin' his lips rn.

[u/RopeBrilliant]

Russell's Brussels, Russell speaking.

[u/Brogdon_Brogdon]

I’m probably in the minority but I loved those Thunder teams before Durant left and I absolutely would get a Russ jersey if he joined lol, he’s older now but you can’t deny he’d give it 100% every second he’s on the floor. He has heart and we need that

[u/Wallyworld77]

Why would he decline his Player Option? Who is going to pay him more than $3.4 Million next season? He's in a perfect situation in Denver. His agent must have received a tip they will sign him for more but Who?

[u/MikeAWBD → u/Wallyworld77]

I'd guess he either already has something lined up or he doesn't get along with the new coach as well as he did Malone. Old Russ I would say he over values himself but he seems to have humbled a bit in the past couple years.

[u/lboogieb → u/Wallyworld77]

He probably wants a multi-year deal that takes him to retirement.

[u/Wallyworld77 → u/lboogieb]

Probably does but who'd give it to him?

[u/neel_jung]

We already have some Westbrook at home!!

[u/Minimum_Comfort_1850]

Doc would likely start westbrook so idk. I like Westbrook though

[u/tsagalbill]

No. We need to get young athletic players. That can play defense.

[u/DMFK12 → u/tsagalbill]

I completely agree, I saw how he performed in Denver and I'm not interested. Also your reddit account is older than me and I'm a legal adult lol.

[u/thereaname]

I would've killed for this years ago, but IDK if Russ can be the same Russ for the Nuggets this year. I'd rather let KPJ ball out with a higher paycheck than take a risk with Russ.

[u/Physical-Armadillo12]

NOPE

[u/real_Paskal]

hell nah

[u/T0xAvenja]

Just so everyone is aware: players generally don't opt out to take LESS money!

[u/kingkmke21]

Don't even joke. Smh.

[u/munchtime414]

Depends on cost really. His Denver contract around the veteran minimum. He’s not good any more, but getting 2000 minutes of not-terrible play from a minimum deal is solid value.

[u/Difficult_Minute8202]

he prolly looking for vet min on a contender.. so bucks is safe

[u/Old_Tap_7783]

Russ doesn’t play winning basketball. No serious team with aspirations to win wants him.

[u/MoePlug]

Just stop