The Sacramento Kings were linked in NBA rumors heavily to future Hall of Fame point guard Russell Westbrook last offseason before ultimately signing him in October. With the team potentially needing a mentor for rookie Darius Acuff Jr., many have wondered if a return to Sacramento is on the table for Westbrook.
During a recent live stream for Bleacher Report, NBA insider Jake Fischer said that he’s heard nothing from around the league that would suggest the Kings want to bring Westbrook back for next season.
“At this point, no disrespect to Russell Westbrook, but I haven’t heard that the Kings would want him back really in any fashion.”
Jake Fischer on if the Sacramento Kings could still re-sign Russell Westbrook
Related: Kings’ Darius Acuff Jr. Draws NBA Comparison to Future Hall of Famer
Russell Westbrook stats (2025-26): 15.2 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 6.7 APG
It wasn’t made clear exactly why the Kings are so adamant about not wanting Westbrook back. After signing for the veteran’s minimum in October, the former All-Star point guard wound up unseating Dennis Schroder to be the starter just months after he signed a three-year, $44.4 million contract with Sacramento.
There’s also no real reason to believe that Westbrook, who turns 38 years old in November, expects to be a starter with his next team. From 2022-25, he appeared in 216 games with the Los Angeles Clippers, Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Lakers with just 71 starts in that span. So, it would be feasible to think he would be open to backing up Acuff in Sacramento.
Fischer also noted that the Kings’ roster seems to already be set at 15 for the upcoming 2026-27 NBA season, with the team seemingly poised to run Malik Monk as the backup point guard behind Acuff. With the re-signing of Westbrook seemingly off the table, that should mean more minutes for second-year guard Nique Clifford and rookie guard Emanuel Sharp this fall.
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Matt Johnson is Senior Editor of NFL and College Football for Sportsnaut. His work, including weekly NFL and college ... More about Matt Johnson