The Sacramento Kings ended Russell Westbrook’s long wait to sign with an NBA team when they brought him in on a one-year, $3.6 million veteran’s minimum deal. It would appear, though, that not everyone within the organization is a fan of this move. Ahn Fire Digital reports that while Domantas Sabonis, DeMar DeRozan, and Zach LaVine recruited Westbrook and are excited to play with him, there are others in the building who have major concerns regarding the future Hall of Famer.
“Some members of the Kings are worried about Westbrook’s poor shooting, decision-making in critical moments, and habit of turning the ball over too many times, the source said.”
This isn’t the first time that these concerns have been raised regarding Westbrook. The 36-year-old can be a bit erratic on the court, and he hasn’t been a good shooter for years.
Westbrook averaged 13.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, 6.1 assists, 1.4 steals, and 0.5 blocks per game for the Denver Nuggets in 2024-25. He shot 44.9% from the field and only 32.3% from beyond the arc. Westbrook was also careless with the ball, averaging 3.2 turnovers per game despite playing just 27.9 minutes per game.
Still, Westbrook, who has signed a non-guaranteed deal, does bring a lot to a team at this stage of his career. The nine-time All-Star excels in transition and plays with a certain edge that a team like the Kings could do with. His nature, though, is apparently another cause for concern.
“Some members of the Kings are also worried about how Westbrook will react if he doesn’t finish games in the fourth quarter. Westbrook pouted behind the scenes when he was taken out of games in crunch time with the Los Angeles Clippers and Nuggets, the source said.”
No player would be all too happy about being benched in the fourth quarter. They all want to play when it matters most, and Westbrook would be no different. Has he perhaps been more upset than most players about it? This report indicates that it is the case, and if true, then Westbrook has to swallow his pride. He is going to be Dennis Schroder’s backup, and there will be nights when he isn’t out on the court in that fourth quarter.
Many great players have experienced this at the end of their careers, and there is no shame in it. Westbrook is entering his 18th season in the NBA, and most players with that much wear and tear on their bodies aren’t even good enough to step out on the court for an extended period of time.
Even if Westbrook doesn’t cause any issues, though, it’s hard to see how this season ends on a positive note for the Kings. This isn’t a well-constructed roster, and an NBA executive thinks they are going to be terrible.
“I think this is going to be a disaster,” the executive said. “DeMar doesn’t shoot 3s, Zach doesn’t guard anyone, and Westbrook can’t shoot period.”
The Kings, who were 40-42 in 2024-25, would be looking to prove all the doubters wrong. They will commence their 2025-26 campaign against the Phoenix Suns at Mortgage Matchup Center on Wednesday at 10 PM ET.
