The Sacramento Kings recently signed Russell Westbrook after months of rumors linking them to the veteran guard. The fit always had questions, but Westbrook coming off the bench and helping Sacramento as a veteran leader at least made sense. However, is there a chance that Westbrook will start?
In all reality, it probably is unlikely. Still, Westbrook was reportedly practicing with the Kings starters during a recent Sacramento scrimmage, according to Kevin John of ABC10. Regardless, Westbrook is still likely going to come off the bench, but one has to wonder how many minutes he will end up receiving.
Russell Westbrook joins the Kings
He spent the 2024-25 campaign with the Denver Nuggets -- playing a sixth man role with the team. He averaged 13.3 points, 6.1 assists and 4.9 rebounds per game across 27.9 minutes per outing. Denver was trying to win and giving Westbrook a respectable amount of minutes off the bench made sense, as he was playing well enough to help the team.
The Kings, however, are in a different position. Unless they completely shatter expectations, Sacramento is probably a play-in team at best this year. As a result, giving a veteran like Westbrook a significant amount of minutes -- even if he comes off the bench -- would be a confusing decision without question.
In the Kings' defense, they have yet to reveal how many minutes Westbrook will average this season. The fact that he only recently signed with the team and already practiced with the starters will catch attention, though. It could mean absolutely nothing, but it still is worth mentioning.
There is no reason for Westbrook to receive a plethora of minutes. Signing him wasn't a bad move, as he can offer valuable veteran experience and leadership. It will only become a problem if he begins taking minutes away from a younger player who is looking to develop.
The Kings will begin their regular season on Wednesday night at 10 PM EST in Phoenix against the Suns. The Western Conference affair will allow fans to have their first real look at how Sacramento plans to approach the 2025-26 campaign.
As for Russell Westbrook, it will be worth monitoring his minutes to begin the year. He will likely continue to see an increase after recently signing with Sacramento, but it remains to be seen exactly what his role will end up being with the Kings.