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Ohm Youngmisuk, ESPN Staff WriterJul 26, 2024, 03:59 PM ETCloseOhm Youngmisuk has covered the Giants, Jets and the NFL since 2006. Prior to that, he covered the Nets, Knicks and the NBA for nearly a decade. He joined ESPNNewYork.com after working at the New York Daily News for almost 12 years and is a graduate of Michigan State University.
Follow him on Twitter » Ohm’s chat archive »Russell Westbrook’s deal to join the Denver Nuggets will be a two-year, veteran minimum contract with a player option for 2025-2026, his agent Jeff Schwartz of Excel Sports told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.The deal is worth $6.8 million, a source told ESPN.Westbrook, who was in Denver to sign the deal on Friday, is joining the Nuggets after he was traded by the LA Clippers to the Utah Jazz last week in a sign-and-trade deal for guard Kris Dunn. That trade, which included a second-round pick swap, was made to pave the way for the former MVP to sign with Denver once Utah waived Westbrook, which happened this past Saturday.The Nuggets can use a veteran backup point guard who can provide energy, defend and be a spot starter after Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Reggie Jackson left in free agency.Westbrook, who started the season as the starting point guard before moving to a sixth-man role after the Clippers traded for James Harden, joins forces with reigning MVP Nikola Jokic. Westbrook is the career leader in triple-doubles with 199, and Jokic ranks fourth with 130.Westbrook averaged 11.1 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.5 assists in 22.5 minutes per game last season.