Josh Kroenke makes his feelings clear on Russell Westbrook, clarifies Michael-Porter Jr trade stance

The Denver Nuggets are reflecting after a crazy stretch for the final leg of the 2024-25 NBA season. Even though they finished strongly by evading the Play-in Tournament and stamping their place in the 2025 NBA Playoffs as the No. 4 seed of the Western Conference , what unfolded behind the scenes for the Denver Nuggets stirred reaction across the entire basketball world.

With a few games left on their regular season schedule, the Nuggets pulled a stunner, dismissing Michael Malone from his coaching duties. Alongside Malone leaving the team was general manager Calvin Booth as the distracting dispute between the two was viewed as too much to endure already around the organization. Josh Kroenke, the Nuggets’ president, already offered his own reasons about dismissing the two in his recent press conference.



He also followed it up by offering his own compelling answers on two other subject of discussions around the franchise. Josh Kroenke tackles Russell Westbrook murmurs around Denver Once again, Russell Westbrook finds himself in a polarizing discussion. This time around, wearing a Nuggets uniform.

Initially beloved by Denver fans , Westbrook recently saw major backlash out of his disastrous late-sequence blunders in the team’s double-overtime loss against the Minnesota Timberwolves which wasted Jokic’s 61-point masterpiece . When Malone was finally relieved from his post, Westbrook’s name generated even more noise. The Athletic reported that several frustrated key players of the Nuggets were annoyed by Malone’s faith in Westbrook’s erratic play.

Addressing this matter, Kroenke clarified that Westbrook still enjoys his utmost support and from the entire team. “Russ has been nothing but a positive for this group,” he said. “If anything, the way that I would describe Russ is that every year, you have a different bowl of food, bowl of soup.

Russ was a very spicy ingredient for us to add. “And we needed it. We needed it.

I thought we needed some spice this year. He’s one of the most competitive people and players out there, and I think as long as we’re channeling that in the right direction, Russ’ heart is 100 percent always in the right place.” Kroenke further defended Westbrook, saying: “He’s an unbelievable teammate and unbelievable person.

We’re lucky to have him.” Kroenke discusses Nuggets’ trade talks about Michael Porter Jr. Another topic that Kroenke touched has been the speculation about the team’s ties to Michael Porter Jr.

Averaging 18.2 points in 77 games, Porter Jr. has witnessed a mixed campaign all year long, and was briefly touted as a possible trade candidate.

Currently earning from his five-year, $172m contract, and a recent report by veteran league insider Marc Stein revealed that the Kroenkes “have a fondness” for the sweet shooting forward considering their University of Missouri connection, and considered him untradeable. Noting the speculations lately, Kroenke turned down the circulating notion about them and Porter Jr. “I’m incredibly proud of Michael,” Kroenke began.

“Let’s talk about him on a human level and what he’s been through. I mean, several back surgeries, being told he was never going to play again. slipping in the NBA Draft to a place where we were privileged enough to take a player that talented, then working through the setbacks that he’s had, not only on the court with his back, but off the court in his personal life as well.

” “But I think that any kind of report saying that we’re not open to trading everybody, you know, possible to improve the team is a complete false.” As he finally sets the record straight about Westbrook and Porter Jr. Kroenke expects nothing but the best for both to perform at a high level and help the Nuggets’ upcoming seven-game, first-round series against the LA Clippers .

This article first appeared on NBA Analysis Network and was syndicated with permission..