As Scott Perry and Domantas Sabonis pointed out after the Sacramento Kings 2024-25 season ended with a play-in loss, they’re desperately lacking a point guard.
While everything seems to be on the table for the new general manager this offseason, that void unquestionably needs to be filled. Even if it’s a temporary solution, they need something.
Rather than pulling the trigger on a Trae Young or Darius Garland trade — if they prefer not to — free agency could provide some well-decorated holdover facilitators. Tyus Jones and Chris Paul are often brought up, but there’s another former MVP set to hit the open market.
Russell Westbrook (36), coming off of a few seasons with the Clippers, spent last season playing an up-and-down role with the Denver Nuggets. He could provide infectious energy to his teammates and the home fans with a hustle play one moment, then have a turnover that halts momentum in the next. We saw as much in the Nuggets postseason loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Through 75 games (and 36 starts) in 2024-25, Westbrook averaged 13.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 6.1 assists on 44.9 percent from the field and 32.3 percent from three.
The nine-time All-Star was Domantas Sabonis’ vet when he came into the league after being drafted by the Thunder in 2016.
It’s a move that wouldn’t come without questions, and certainly couldn’t be the highlight of Perry’s first offseason running the ship in Sacramento, but another option on the open market nonetheless.
At this stage in his career, signing Westbrook wouldn’t require a significant salary. But, there’s a reason for that.
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The 2025 NBA Draft is less than 10 days away. While the teams at the top of the lottery may already have their minds made up — Cooper Flagg to Utah at one being the most obvious, while most expect Dylan Harper to be selected second by the Spurs — plenty of the backend prospects are still participating in pre-draft workouts.
On Monday, the Sacramento Kings hosted six new prospects with varying sizes, skill sets, and ages. With plenty of workouts already in the books for general manager Scott Perry, there’s always more to see.
Sacramento’s current lone pick in 2025 is in the second round, pick 42. Rafael Barlowe told Sactown Sports that he heard the Kings are one of the teams aggressively looking to move up and other reports point towards plenty of current Kings’ players being shopped.
It leaves a wide variety of options for Perry with draft night likely to kick off the action — even though it’s already started with Orlando Magic trading four unprotected first-rounder for Desmond Bane.
Read More:
Sacramento Kings continue pre-draft workouts: Pate, Markovic, more
Upcoming offseason schedule for the Sacramento Kings:
Wednesday, June 25th – 2025 NBA Draft
Monday, June 30th – NBA free agent negotiations can begin
Sunday, July 6th – NBA free agents can officially sign with teams
July 10th-20th – Las Vegas NBA Summer League
August TBD – Release of 2025-26 regular season schedule
September TBD – Start of NBA training camps for the 2025-26 season
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