The amount of movement across the NBA after the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade has been staggering. That being said, there are a lot of stories without updates, including the Sacramento Kings and Russell Westbrook. It would be a mistake not to re-sign him, though not a detrimental one.
Sometimes, silence says more than any words can. The Kings have already signed former free agent Precious Achiuwa to a contract that will keep him around. While they haven't made anything official for Daeqwon Plowden, the front office's moves seem to indicate that he's hanging around.
Then there's Westbrook. The Kings signed him for one season just before the beginning of 2025-2026, and it turned out to be a huge move. He became their starting point guard while continuing to rack up records and milestones along the way. Honestly, it was pretty cool to watch.
Westbrook will be going into his 19th season in 2026-2027 and is back to being an unrestricted free agent. The Kings have made no moves to re-sign him, and the current rumors indicate they have no intention of doing so. It would be sad to see Westbrook go, but the Kings' position is understandable.
The Kings are likely to move forward without Westbrook
Preferably, Sacramento would keep Westbrook around during the rebuild. He is one of the greatest point guards to ever play the game and could be an incredible mentor to Darius Acuff Jr. The value of his veteran guidance to this increasingly young team is impossible to replicate or value fully.
That being said, it's not the end of the rebuild if the Kings don't retain his services. Sacramento is pushing towards a roster that is young, versatile on offense, and focused on defense. It's not that Westbrook doesn't fit at all, just that he doesn't fit what they're trying to do perfectly.
The reality is that Westbrook could retire at basically any point. He might be like LeBron and play five more seasons, or he might call it a career this summer. The Kings can't have someone on the roster who is in that position if they want the rebuild to work out. Everyone has to be all in. Period.
It's an idea I've suggested before, but Westbrook would make a great coach for the Kings. His experience and knowledge cannot be replicated, and his guidance would be incredible. It's just a matter of him being interested in that kind of role and when he's ready to take it on.
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