One of the biggest losses the Sacramento Kings have had this offseason is Russell Westbrook. While he might not be on the team at the moment, there is a chance the front office could bring him back later in the season. And doing that would be the right move for the Kings in the long term.
When Sacramento signed Westbrook during the 2025 offseason, they were the only team willing to make space for him. He had just been essentially turfed by the Nuggets, a move that did not work out well for them. The Kings gave the living legend a new team to play on, and he seized the opportunity.
Brodie broke records, made history, and added significantly to his career triple-double total. He became a mentor to many of the rookies, not to mention Sacramento's starting point guard. Westbrook was a major reason why last season wasn't a complete write-off for the Kings.
Unfortunately, Sacramento could not retain Westbrook this season. Their salary cap space is nonexistent, and they had to make hard choices. Now, Brodie is in the wind without any interest from another team so far. But it might just be a matter of time before the Kings bring him back.
Watch for Westbrook's return to Sactown
As it stands right now, Sacramento has two open spots on their roster but no salary cap space to sign anyone. A major reason for that is the nearly $100 million being spent on Zach LaVine and Domantas Sabonis this season. Their contracts are holding the Kings' rebuild back.
Both players are good, but they are being ridiculously overpaid. That makes trading them difficult. For LaVine, that will change as the season progresses. His contract is up at the end of 2026-2027, meaning the time and money left on said contract will decrease as the season goes on.
An opportunity to re-sign Westbrook, likely around the 2027 trade deadline, may open up. If the Kings have the cap space, they need to bring Brodie back. Both their coaching staff and their young core have repeatedly spoken highly of working with him. There's a natural fit there.
Westbrook could play a big part in the Sacramento rebuild, mostly as a mentor and potentially as a coach. It's possible they won't be able to bring Brodie back until after the season is over and the LaVine situation has resolved itself. Even then, signing Westbrook remains the right move.
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