Since the Los Angeles Lakers traded Russell Westbrook to the Jazz in February 2023, he's suited up for the Clippers and Nuggets. A new team will be added to that list soon, as ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania reported that Westbrook and the Kings agreed to a deal.
Westbrook declined his $3.4 million player option with the Nuggets for the 2025-26 season in June, making him an unrestricted free agent. After months of being linked to Sacramento, the two sides made it official.
The Kings entered the summer needing a point guard after trading De'Aaron Fox to the Spurs in February, and they decided to acquire Dennis Schroder via a sign-and-trade, signing him to a three-year, $45 million deal. As for the backup point guard, Sacramento went with Westbrook.
In a Western Conference that's the strongest that it's been, it would've been challenging for the Kings to secure an automatic playoff berth, but what they've done the past few months won't make things any easier on them. That includes the Westbrook signing.
Who needs defense?
Russell Westbrook agrees to sign one-year deal with Kings
Westbrook caught a lot of flak during his time with the Lakers. It was an ugly breakup. Westbrook doesn't deserve all of the blame for how his time in the purple and gold went down, as it wasn't a good trade or fit to begin with.
After spending a season and a half with the Clippers, he's coming off a decent year in Denver, where he averaged 13.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, 6.1 assists, and 1.4 steals per game, shooting 44.9% from the field and 32.3% from three in 75 games (his most since the 2021-22 season when he was with the Lakers). In what's a common Westbrook theme, it was a rollercoaster of a ride, full of good, but also a lot of bad.
It's not that Westbrook isn't worthy of being on an NBA roster, but at this stage in his career, relying on him heavily, even as a backup point guard, can backfire. Of all the teams that Westbrook has played on in the past few years, the Lakers understand that better than any other.
None of that stopped the Kings from swooping in. Westbrook isn't a good three-point shooter, but that won't stop him from taking shots he shouldn't. There will be ugly turnovers, but hey, at least he plays with intensity, right, Sacramento?
In case it isn't clear, whatever the Kings are trying to do won't go in their favor, and it extends far beyond Westbrook.