The Sacramento Kings are going to make a major change to their starting lineup on Friday night.
Russell Westbrook, not Dennis Schroder, will get the nod to start at the point guard position, according to NBA Insider Chris Haynes.
For Schroder, it will be his first time coming off the bench since he joined the Kings. When Sacramento signed him over the summer, the veteran guard joined the join with intentions of being the go-to option at the point guard position throughout the year. He started all 12 games for the Kings.
With over 300 minutes of action, Schroder has posted an average of 11.3 points and 6.0 assists. He's been struggling his shot, making just 38 percent of his attempts from the field.
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Ironically, Russell Westbrook was having a hard time finding a team over the summer. When he hit the offseason, the veteran guard had a player option attached to his two-year deal with the Denver Nuggets. He decided to decline, which allowed for him to hit the free agency market as an unrestricted player.
Westbrook went months without notable interest. While the Kings were the frontrunners to land him, they were already well into training camp before they officially inked the future Hall of Famer.
Westbrook is no stranger to the Kings' starting lineup. After he came off the bench for the first three games of the season, he collected his first start during the team's October 28 matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder. He started five of the next six games before resuming his bench role on November 9 against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Earlier this week, Westbrook started against the Atlanta Hawks, checking in for 22 minutes. He scored 10 points, two rebounds, and three assists in the 33-point loss against the Hawks.
In the midst of a four-game losing streak, the Kings are simply looking for any type of change to help them get back on track. A turnaround isn't guaranteed by starting Westbrook, but it's worth a shot. This season, the veteran guard is producing 14.5 points per game, while making 44 percent of his shots from the field. He's also coming down with 6.2 rebounds per game, and producing 5.8 assists per game.
The Kings and the Timberwolves will tip at 8 PM ET.
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