Russell Westbrook’s Shocking Hand Injury Sparks Doubts About Nuggets’ Championship Hopes

Russell Westbrook’s playoff performance for the Denver Nuggets this postseason was a mixed bag—he put up an average of 11.7 points in about 24 minutes per game while sporting heavily taped fingers that clearly weren’t just for show. Sure, he stepped up in some crucial moments, but his shooting accuracy dipped to 39.1%, and a few games were less than stellar. It turns out, a fractured hand that Westbrook kept under wraps may have played a big role in his inconsistency. He recently revealed on his own blog, World of Westbrook, that he underwent surgery to repair two breaks in his right hand, a fact the Nuggets have also verified. At 36 years old, with a $3.5 million player option looming for next season, Westbrook’s future is something of a gray area—while free agency is an option, the financial upside and potential fit elsewhere don’t exactly sparkle compared to what Denver offers. His unique synergy with Nikola Jokic—who masters the art of finding Westbrook on those perfect cuts and fast-break opportunities—has undeniably enhanced his value. This season’s numbers—13.3 points, 6.1 assists, and 4.9 rebounds per game across 75 contests—are solid, and while Denver likely wants him back to bolster their depth around Jokic, it’s no secret Westbrook and his camp might be quietly scouting the market for a bigger role or a fatter paycheck. The chess game continues. LEARN MORE

Westbrook averaged 13.3 points, 6.1 assists and 4.9 rebounds a game this season, playing almost 28 minutes a night in the 75 games he played. A Denver team looking to add depth around Jokic likely welcomes him back, but you can be sure Westbrook and his agent are kicking the tires to see if other playoff teams might be willing to pay more or have a bigger role for him. A fractured hand may have contributed to that. Westbrook announced he had surgery on his hand on his blog, World of Westbrook (the Nuggets also confirmed the surgery).“I’m undergoing surgery on my right hand to fix two breaks that happened during the season. I’m grateful for everyone’s support all year and I can’t wait to be back out there at 100% soon. The comeback is already in motion.”
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Westbrook has a .5 million player option for next season. At age 36, and coming off surgery, he could put himself on the free agent market, but there is unlikely to be more money for him elsewhere, and almost certainly not a better situation. Westbrook is one of those players whose game has been elevated by Nikola Jokic’s passing and ability to find him on cuts to the rim or on leak-outs.Russell Westbrook averaged 11.7 points in 24 minutes per night for the Nuggets this postseason despite playing with some heavily taped fingers. While he was critical in a few wins, he also shot 39.1% for the postseason and had some rough outings as well.