The Clippers and Jazz have agreed to a sign-and-trade deal involving Russell Westbrook. Following the trade, Westbrook is expected to join the Denver Nuggets after Utah waives him and completes a contract buyout.

In return for Westbrook, the Clippers will receive guard Kris Dunn from the Jazz, along with a second-round draft pick swap and cash.

Westbrook’s Deal

This expanded deal was initially reported on July 1, in which Utah guard Kris Dunn agreed to a deal with the Clippers as an unrestricted free agent. Dunn will officially join the Clippers on a three-year, $17 million deal as part of the sign-and-trade. The Clippers also included a second-round pick swap and cash in the trade.

Westbrook and the Nuggets had previously been rumored to have mutual interest, and now it appears he will be joining the team. While no longer in his All-Star and MVP-winning prime, Westbrook demonstrated value as a scorer and facilitator off the bench with the Clippers last season. His defensive efforts were also crucial in the second unit.

Westbrook offers veteran leadership to a Nuggets team that has been relatively inactive this offseason, particularly after losing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to the Orlando Magic. Although Westbrook won’t replace KCP’s defense or 3-point shooting, he can still be a valuable asset at the right price for a championship-contending team.

The Clippers seemed destined to trade Westbrook once he opted into his deal. With the departure of Paul George, L.A. is entering a new era and didn’t see value in keeping Westbrook for another season. They will acquire Kris Dunn, who was selected fifth overall in the 2016 draft by the Timberwolves and has since played for the Bulls, Hawks, Trail Blazers, and Jazz.

Experience Prevails

League sources indicate that the Nuggets were eager to add Westbrook if he became available, as they need a veteran backup point guard to bring energy and defense after losing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Reggie Jackson in free agency. “I think we need some help in the backcourt,” Nuggets general manager Calvin Booth said. “We are going to try to continue to identify that and survey the market. We have a roster spot left, and I think if we can add a high-level guard, we will be happy with that.”

Westbrook opted into his $4 million contract last month, but Clippers president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank recently spoke with Westbrook’s agent to find the right fit for the nine-time All-Star after Paul George left for the Philadelphia 76ers in free agency.

Frank emphasized the Clippers have “great respect” for Westbrook, calling him a “tremendous f—ing player, Hall of Fame player.”

Westbrook started last season as the Clippers’ point guard but moved to a sixth-man role after LA traded for James Harden, leading to a 26-5 run during their best stretch. He also posted career-lows with 4.5 assists and 22.5 minutes per game but delivered some of the best defense of his career, ranking fourth in field goal percentage allowed among players contesting 300 or more shots last season, according to Second Spectrum tracking.

Westbrook often paired with George, his former Thunder teammate and friend, on the court. The Clippers are now moving forward with Kawhi Leonard and Harden, while adding defensive-minded players like Dunn, Derrick Jones Jr., and Nicolas Batum in free agency.

Benching Concerns

The 35-year-old was mostly in a reserve role for the Clippers this past season, appearing in 68 games with 11 starts, and he averaged a career-low in points per game.

“I’d like to share some of my actual thoughts with Clipper nation and all of my fans,” he continued. “It’s a difficult time for a lot of people due to certain expectations that have been placed on them. Therefore, it’s understandable that there is pressure to plant stories or point the finger for what many would classify as a disappointing end to our season.

“I for one enjoyed my year and worked hard to bring the energy and provide a spark for our team with each opportunity I was given,” he acknowledged. “I felt that I was and remain more than willing to take on new roles and make certain sacrifices in the hope that it would make our team better. I hoped for a different outcome, but I also enjoyed being in the trenches with my teammates this year, who have all been supportive of me throughout the season.”

Paul Pierce wants to see Westbrook start, shifting Jamal Murray to shooting guard. This would result in Christian Braun, who is the favorite for the starting role but hasn’t been guaranteed it, coming off the bench.

Pierce commented, “Russ is at a point in his career where I know he wants to win a championship. He’s done everything possible in basketball. He’s been MVP, he’s been to the Finals, and had countless triple-double seasons.”

The Nuggets will give Westbrook a legitimate chance to play a significant role on a title contender, having won the 2023 NBA Championship over the Miami Heat.

Pierce added, “I like this move with Russ starting alongside Jamal Murray at the two. I think they can still be strong contenders as long as Joker is playing at an MVP level.”

Read more: WNBA Rookie Caitlin Clark Breaks Multiple Records Despite Fever Loss

The WNBA rookie Caitlin Clark outdid herself on Wednesday, setting a new single-game record with 19 assists in the Fever’s 101-93 loss to the Dallas Wings. This performance also established a new single-game rookie assist record, surpassing the 16 assists set by Tina Penicheiro in 1998. Additionally, Clark has broken the Fever’s single-season franchise assist record, reaching 202 assists in just 26 games.The WNBA single-season record, set by Alyssa Thomas last season, stands at 316.

Clark exceeded her previous career high, achieved multiple times this season, including in the Fever’s significant win over the New York Liberty on July 6, where she became the first WNBA rookie to record a triple-double.

Action on the Day

The Fever-Wings matchup was a thrilling contest ahead of the All-Star and Olympic breaks. Despite Dallas taking an early lead, going up by as many as 16 points in the first half, Indiana cut the lead to eight by halftime. The third quarter saw Indiana tighten the game, leading to an intense fourth quarter where both teams exchanged leads and remained tied for much of the final frame. Ultimately, Dallas held off the Fever with heroics from star guard Arike Ogunbowale.

Both teams were led by dynamic duos: Ogunbowale and Odyssey Sims scored 24 points each for Dallas, while Clark and Aliyah Boston recorded 24 and 28 points, respectively, with Boston marking a career high.

Clark’s historic performance strengthens her Rookie of the Year campaign. She leads the league in assists per game with 7.8 and has quickly become a crucial part of the Fever’s starting lineup.

With the win, Dallas rises to 6-19, though they remain at the bottom of the WNBA standings. The Fever are 11-15, sitting solidly in the middle.

Clark Breaking Records

Clark’s record-breaking assist occurred when she set up Kelsey Mitchell for a three-pointer with 2:22 left, tying the game at 93. However, Dallas responded with an 8-0 run to finish the game. 

Clark scored or assisted on 66 points for the Fever, the most in a single game in WNBA history, surpassing Diana Taurasi’s 65-point effort on August 10, 2006.

This season, Clark is averaging 17.1 points and a WNBA-leading 8.2 assists. Over her past nine games, she has been averaging 11.9 assists. She is the second rookie in WNBA history to score or assist on 50 or more points in multiple games, joining Candace Parker in 2008.

Clark is also the first rookie and the ninth player overall in WNBA history to have at least 400 points and 200 assists in a season. Chelsea Gray has accomplished this feat three times, Alyssa Thomas twice, and Sue Bird, Jordin Canada, Natasha Cloud, Sabrina Ionescu, Courtney Williams, and Vandersloot have each done it once.

Following her record-breaking performance, Clark’s odds for WNBA Rookie of the Year honors at ESPN BET improved from -1000 to -2000, while the Sky’s Angel Reese moved from +500 to +600.

Onto the All-Star Game

In the 20th edition of the all-star game on Saturday, July 20th, the WNBA will feature a Team WNBA vs. Team USA format, with the entire Olympic team roster facing off against 12 WNBA All-Stars. This change also brings a fresh twist to the uniforms.

In the first half, Team WNBA will wear pink-and-orange ombré jerseys with “WNBA All-Star” and the league’s emblem. In the second half, they will switch to black jerseys with ombré hues on the V-neck.

The jerseys include “WNBA All-Star Edition 2024” and 20 stars to commemorate the game’s 20th anniversary, with an orange “1/144” tag honoring the league’s 144 players.

The WNBA has set new viewership benchmarks this season, and this all-star game is going to bigger than ever. A highly anticipated game between Caitlin Clark and Phoenix Mercury’s Diana Taurasi drew remarkable ratings. The Fever, who won 88-82 on June 30, averaged 1.9 million viewers, making it the second-most-watched WNBA game. The only game to surpass it was the Fever’s matchup against the Chicago Sky on June 23, which averaged 2.302 million viewers, the highest in 23 years. The Fever-Mercury game peaked at 2.7 million viewers.

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In an unprecedented financial move to provide roster flexibility for a contending team, New York Knicks All-NBA guard Jalen Brunson has agreed to a four-year, $156.5 million contract extension—$113 million less guaranteed than he could sign for next year—his agent, Sam Rose of CAA, told ESPN on Friday.

Brunson is taking a $37 million loss, with a total risk of $113 million, to chase a title with the Knicks.

Brunson’s Deal

The deal, starting in the 2025-26 season, will pay Brunson $37.1 million over the first three years, with a player option for the fourth year. This option could allow Brunson to secure a four-year, $323 million maximum extension in 2028 or a new five-year, $418 million deal in 2029.

Brunson, 27, became eligible to negotiate and sign the maximum extension on Friday. Despite the inherent risks of injury and unforeseen complications, Brunson prioritizes maximizing the prime of his career with the franchise’s most talented roster since the 1990s.

Choosing the four-year, $156.5 million max deal over the five-year, $269.1 million deal in 2025 has significant implications for the Knicks. It keeps the team out of the second-apron level of the salary cap, a punitive threshold that limits trades, signings, and draft pick usage.

Brunson’s decision was influenced by studying championship organizations and franchise stars like Patrick Mahomes’ Kansas City Chiefs, Tom Brady’s New England Patriots, and Derek Jeter’s New York Yankees. These MVP-level players structured contracts to give their teams the best chances at sustainable title runs.

Brunsons’s Impact

Brunson joined the Knicks on a four-year, $104 million free agent deal two years ago, becoming one of the league’s most transformative acquisitions of the past decade. After beginning his career as a backup point guard with the Dallas Mavericks, Jalen Brunson has emerged as one of the NBA’s most impactful players and leaders. In the 2023-24 season, he earned All-NBA honors and finished in the top five in MVP voting, averaging 28.7 points per game and contributing to a franchise-record 3,481 points through scoring or assists. He also recorded 11 40-point games in the regular season and became the first Knicks player to achieve 40 points and five assists in four consecutive playoff games.

This offseason, the Knicks have become better—and more expensive. They signed OG Anunoby to a five-year, $212.5 million deal and traded for Brooklyn Nets forward Mikal Bridges, who has two years and $48 million left on his contract.

Brunson’s deep ties to the Knicks reflect his strong faith in the organization. Before becoming the Knicks president of basketball operations in 2020, Leon Rose was Brunson’s agent. Additionally, Brunson’s father, Rick, is a Knicks assistant coach and a longtime former client of Rose. The Knicks have also surrounded Brunson with a star-studded cast of his former national championship teammates from Villanova, creating remarkable synergy both on and off the floor.

Pay Cut

Brunson is already under contract for next season with a salary of $25 million and has the option to opt out in 2025. Over the next three years, he will receive $37.1 million less, but his contract includes a player option for the fourth year. If he chooses to opt out, Brunson could be eligible for a four-year, $323 million deal in 2028 or a five-year, $418 million deal in 2029.

Brunson’s current pay cut helps the Knicks maintain their roster after signing OG Anunoby to a five-year, $212.5 million deal and trading for Mikal Bridges, giving up nearly every first-round draft pick possible.

In today’s era, All-NBA players have taken discounts to provide their teams with salary cap flexibility. For example, San Antonio’s Tim Duncan accepted $11 million less than the maximum in 2007 to retain Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker, and Golden State’s Kevin Durant took $10 million less in 2017 to keep Shaun Livingston and Andre Iguodala. This offseason, LeBron James accepted $2.6 million less on a two-year, $101 million deal to help the Los Angeles Lakers avoid the second apron.

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