Russell Westbrook and his return to Denver on Monday night weren't exactly a warm and fuzzy affair.
The former Nugget, now with the Kings, made it clear after the game that leaving Denver last summer wasn't an option for him.
“The truth is they don't want me back. It's not up to me,” Westbrook told reporters after the Kings' 130-124 loss. “God always has a plan, be patient. It's not up to me. They don't want me, that's okay, someone else does.”
Russell Westbrook on no return to Denver Nuggets:
“They don't want me back.”
…
“I'm not going anywhere I don't want to be.”
Regarding not selecting the player option:
“They told me not to do it.” pic.twitter.com/f4lno2Yutk
— DNVR Nuggets (@DNVR_Nuggets) November 4, 2025
Still, relations between players and management seemed to quickly sour.
The veteran guard declined his player option in June and signed with Sacramento shortly after, a decision he said was made at the team's request.
“They told me not to [pick it up]. I’m not going anywhere I don’t want to be,” Westbrook said.
The 36-year-old added that he felt his lone season with the Nuggets was going well, despite the team looking at things differently.
“I think I had a great year with the Nuggets,” he said. “But others don't seem to think so.”
Westbrook's first game back in Denver was a reminder of what the Nuggets gave up.
He almost led the Kings to an upset victory, scoring 26 points, 12 rebounds and 6 assists. His all-around performance won applause from the visiting team's bench.
Despite only playing one season in Denver, the Nuggets created a tribute video for Russ upon his return.
The Arena pays tribute to Russell Westbrook and welcomes him back to Denver 🙌 pic.twitter.com/UqDLNzYYs4
— DNVR Nuggets (@DNVR_Nuggets) November 4, 2025
Westbrook spent the 2024-25 season in Denver, averaging 13.3 points, 4.9 rebounds and 6.1 assists in 75 games, including 36 starts. He also proved his worth in the playoffs, coming off the bench in 13 playoff games and averaging 11.7 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game.
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