One of the odd twists in Russell Westbrook's decision to retire was the fact that he had two offers on the table. Not surprisingly, the Sacramento Kings were responsible for one of them. Reportedly, he wasn't interested in taking a backseat to Darius Acuff Jr. and mainly playing the role of mentor.
After 18 seasons as one of the top point guards in the history of the NBA, Westbrook recently made the decision to retire. It's an end to one of the leagues' most storied careers, not to mention an iconic figure. Fans have been sharing his best clips on social media non-stop since the announcement.
It has been reported that Westbrook is returning to Oklahoma City. While his best days on the court were there as a member of the Thunder, he has already taken on a new OKC project. Westbrook is the Creative Director for a multi-billion dollar, 50-acre downtown entertainment district.
This project is backed in part by Russell Westbrook Entertainment (RWE), a private equity, venture capital, and business management firm founded by him in 2020. It houses his various business operations, such as fashion and apparel, digital marketing, and a variety of other opportunities.
The Kings made Westbrook an offer he could obviously refuse
While Sacramento couldn't sign Westbrook at the start of free agency, they made an offer to him. The Kings wanted him to act as a backup point guard to the Acuff, as well as his mentor. Considering how little payroll the front office had to work with, that offer was likely another veteran minimum.
Being that Westbrook retired rather than take the deal, it's quite apparent that he wasn't interested in it. He also reportedly had an offer on the table from the Wizards that didn't move the needle. It's not hard to imagine that it was for a bench point guard position behind Trae Young for similar money.
Considering what RWE is undertaking, staying in the league for veteran minimum bench roles doesn't make a lot of sense for Westbrook. He has a lot on the go, and he knew that the league had basically passed him by after the 2024-2025 season when the Nuggets essentially forced him out.
While it would have been good for the Kings to have him on board, it's also understandable if Westbrook didn't want the role he was being offered. It doesn't change the fact that Acuff needs a mentor and some serious backup at point guard if the Kings don't want a disaster on his hands.
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