The Nuggets decided against Russell Westbrook right before they won their first title. This year, they made the bold bet.

Russell Westbrook has long been one of the more controversial players in the NBA. He has strung together some of the best individual seasons of all time, although he has never found team success as a first option.

Denver Nuggets guard Russell Westbrook may encounter a tight market in the event he opts out of his current deal and becomes a free agent. "I can't see another team doing it, but I never thought we would do it," one Nuggets source told ESPN's Ramona Shelburne about the idea of signing Westbrook.