It needed to be done. No NBA fan wanted to see Russell Westbrook unrostered this season, leaving him to fade away instead of finishing his career playing. At the same time, there's no real way this move benefits the Sacramento Kings other that including the legend in their team's history.
Going into his 18th season in the league, Westbrook is a bonafide living legend. Feel his jersey. It's made of Hall of Fame material. With or without a championship ring on his finger, he's first ballot without question. And anyone who does question that doesn't know basketball.
That being said, this Russell Westbrook is not the same as the one who won the MVP and went to the All-Star game nine times. No matter how good a player is, they lose a step as they age. At 36, Russell's best playing days are behind him. That's why finding a new team was a struggle.
Russell Westbrook finally finds a team
It's hard to say what Westbrook expected when he chose free agency after the 2024-2025 season, though silence probably wasn't on his list. That's what he got from the league. No team seemed interested in his services, except for the Sacramento Kings.
Why it was do difficult for Westbrook to get signed is not hard to understand. He's 36 and heading into his 18th season. Age is a major factor. On top of that, he has gained a reputation for being difficult, both on the court and in the locker room. Combined, that's enough for teams to be wary.
As such, the Kings were only team in the NBA taking a serious look at Russ, with rumors flying all summer until the Kings finally pulled the trigger with the regular season closing in. It's great that Westbrook is on the team but it's hard to see how this works out for the Kings in the short term.
Good for Westbrook, bad for the Kings
Counting Westbrook, the Kings currently have 11 guards on their roster. To be fair, two of them are listed as "guard-forward." Regardless, signing him does nothing to fix their long-standing roster imbalance. The Kings' front office is basically collecting guards like they're Pokemon.
On top of that, adding Westbrook has made the Kings the third oldest team in the league after the Phoenix Suns and Golden State Warriors. It's great to have a veteran point guard of Westbrook's caliber, but this is a team loaded with older players and guards. They weren't lacking in this area.
Reportedly, it's only a one-year deal at the NBA veteran minimum salary. If Westbrook retires from the NBA after this season, and he should strongly consider that option, he will go out a rostered player. That's something worth celebrating. It's just not a move that will elevate the Kings.