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OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA – MAY 18: Russell Westbrook #4 of the Denver Nuggets walks down the floor during the first half of game seven of the Western Conference semifinals against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Paycom Center on May 18, 2025 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Joshua Gateley/Getty Images)
Former NBA MVP Russell Westbrook had a player option for a guaranteed contract with the Denver Nuggets for the 2025-26 season, which would be his eighteenth in the NBA. He declined it two weeks ago, in a move widely anticipated to have been done for a slight pay rise from the Nuggets, rather than any plans to move on.
However, it appears that, since Westbrook is headed to the free agency market, he will have external suitors. Or one, at least.
In his latest round-up of rumors from around the league, Marc Stein of The Stein Line reported – and Sam Amick of The Athletic later confirmed – that the Sacramento Kings have Westbrook in their sights. Although they are considered the front runners for Dennis Schroeder – most recently of the Detroit Pistons, and someone they would like to re-sign after his hugely useful late-season run – Stein reports that Westbrook is also on their list of point guard targets, a list that also includes Tyus Jones of the Phoenix Suns.
Kings Seek A Point Guard, No Matter Who
The Kings are in the running for a point guard due to the February trade of De’Aaron Fox. Dealt to the San Antonio Spurs as the choice outgoing part of a three-team deal that landed them Zach LaVine, Sidy Cissoko and a plethora of picks, the Kings moved on their court leader of the past seven seasons without an obvious successor in place. In fact, after the injury to Malik Monk, they essentially finished the season with LaVine as the point guard.
Ideally, they would like for Devin Carter to assume that role. The early returns on Carter’s career, however, are rather limited. Carter appeared in 36 games as a rookie, but averaged only 3.8 points and 2.1 rebounds per game, and looked quite a way off of being able to be a full-time NBA floor general.
To be fair, on a team with a passing hub like Domantas Sabonis, a more traditional point guard is not as important as it may be on others. Monk’s career has been reborn alongside the Lithuanian All-Star precisely because he does not have to suppress his scoring instincts too much to still play as a de facto point. Until Carter is ready, however – if ever it even happens – the Kings seem to be targeting some veteran help at the position, no matter what form it takes.
Westbrook’s Indian Summer
With his extreme variability and high-risk style of play, Westbrook is very different to Jones, the much more methodical and much less dynamic player. Nevertheless, despite the inefficiencies inherent in his playing style, Russ makes things happen, many of them good.
In his year with the Nuggets, Westbrook had a decent bounce-back campaign. He averaged 13.3 points and 6.1 assists per game in a hybrid starter/sixth man role, and added some depth to a team that often lacked for it.
Because he is unmistakably in the final stages of his career, any move for Westbrook would be a move for the short term. And the short term prognosis for the Sacramento Kings is not great. A ninth seed in 2023-24 was followed by a tenth seed in 2024-25, putting the Kings back in the range they became all too familiar with for two decades. Westbrook, useful though he is, is not at the height of his powers any longer, nor close enough to them to be able to change that.
However, be it only for a year or two, there are still things Westbrook can impart on the team, even if they wind up back in the lottery. His work ethic, fearlessness and vocal leadership can galvanize the floundering, and are good attributes to osmose onto Carter, if the second-year guard is ever to realise his potential.
And if nothing else, Westbrook will make things fun. Just like Rajon Rondo did.
Mark Deeks I am continuously intrigued by the esoterica and minutiae of all the aspects of building a basketball team. I want to understand how to build the best basketball teams possible. No, I don’t know why, either. More about Mark Deeks
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