The Los Angeles Clippers traded guard Russell Westbrook to the Utah Jazz on Thursday, ESPN reported, with the veteran guard eventually in line to join the Denver Nuggets.
According to the report, Westbrook is expected to agree on a contract buyout with the Jazz and then sign a free-agent deal with the Nuggets. Westbrook was in line to make $4.03 million next season in the second year of a two-year deal with the Clippers.
The Clippers are also swapping second-round picks and sending cash to the Jazz, while Los Angeles acquired guard Kris Dunn in a sign-and-trade deal.
Westbook’s ultimate move to Denver will come after he clears waivers.
Westbrook, 35, joined the Clippers late in the 2022-23 season after he was traded from the Los Angeles Lakers to the Jazz and then waived. He returned to a starting role late in the season during a short 21-game stint with the Clippers then transitioned to a bench role last season and finished seventh in Sixth Man of the Year voting.
Westbrook averaged 11.1 points with 5.0 rebounds and 4.5 assists for the Clippers last season in 68 games (11 starts).
In 16 NBA seasons, the nine-time All-Star and 2016-17 MVP has averaged 21.7 points with 7.1 rebounds and 8.1 assists in 1,162 games (1,039 starts) for the Oklahoma City Thunder (2008-19), Houston Rockets (2019-20), Washington Wizards (2020-21), Lakers (2021-23) and Clippers.
Dunn, 30, averaged 5.4 points with 2.9 rebounds and 3.8 assists in 66 games (32 starts) for the Jazz last season. In eight NBA seasons with five different teams, Dunn has averaged 7.9 points with 3.3 rebounds and 4.2 assists in 333 games (164 starts).