After joining the Denver Nuggets with championship hopes, Russell Westbrook saw his title dreams cut short in the second round of the playoffs against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Despite the early exit, Westbrook is focused on running it back with the Nuggets next season.
While Westbrook prepares for another NBA campaign, interest in him is rising across the globe. According to European basketball insider Nemanja Zoric, Israeli powerhouse Hapoel Tel Aviv is working behind the scenes to lure Westbrook to Europe. Zoric reported that the team is preparing a “never-before-seen offer” for the former NBA MVP.
“Hapoel Tel Aviv has made initial contact with former NBA All Star Russell Westbrook. Im told the Eurocup champions are planning to make him an offer with a salary never seen before in European basketball,” the report read.
Hapoel Tel Aviv has made initial contact with former NBA All Star Russell Westbrook.
— Nemanja Žorič (@zoric_nemanja) June 4, 2025
Im told the Eurocup champions are planning to make him an offer with a salary never seen before in European basketball.
This isn’t Hapoel Tel Aviv’s first attempt to recruit big-name NBA players. Previously, the club made headlines by going after Patrick Beverley during his free agency period. The team successfully signed him to a two-year, $4 million contract.
However, Beverley’s stint in Israel was short-lived. He appeared in just 14 EuroCup games and 9 Israeli League games before parting ways with the team. Despite that experience, Hapoel appears undeterred and now seems determined to bring Westbrook into the European basketball spotlight.
Russell Westbrook’s Denver Future In Doubt Amid Player Option Uncertainty
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During his appearance on The Athletic NBA Daily, well-known NBA reporter Sam Amick expressed skepticism over Westbrook’s potential return to the Nuggets. He pointed to the numerous question marks surrounding the team’s offseason as a key factor in his doubt.
“Now, you’ve got all these other uncertainties. Russell Westbrook has a small player option. I’d be surprised if he was back,” Amico said.
Westbrook’s contract includes a player option worth only $3.4 million for the upcoming season. For an NBA MVP and nine-time All-Star, that’s a modest amount. This financial detail adds fuel to speculation that he may choose to decline the option and explore free agency instead.
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