An NBA MVP is reportedly about to change teams.
This 17-year veteran finished No. 7 in Sixth Man of the Year voting in each of the last two seasons for the Denver Nuggets (2024-25) and Los Angeles Clippers (2023-24), respectively.
Now, according to a new report from ESPN’s Tim MacMahon, the future Hall of Famer will most likely join the Sacramento Kings for the 2025-26 season.
“It appears that (Russell) Westbrook, who spent the first 11 years of his career with the Oklahoma City Thunder, will play for his sixth franchise in seven seasons,” MacMahon wrote on Monday.
“He won’t be returning to the Denver Nuggets after a roller coaster season … The all-time leader in triple-doubles won’t continue the trend of storybook homecomings for future Hall of Fame point guards, a la Damian Lillard and Chris Paul. The Thunder will hang Westbrook’s No. 0 in the rafters after he retires, but the defending champions don’t have room on the roster, much less the rotation, or the desire to tinker with the chemistry from their title run.”
Story continues below advertisement
“League sources consider the Sacramento Kings the most likely destination for Westbrook, who will turn 37 during the first month of the season,” MacMahon continued.
“If that’s the case, Westbrook would likely come off the bench again and share ballhandling duties with free agency addition Dennis Schroder.”
Sacramento experienced a tumultuous 2024-25 season, which ended with the Kings losing a home Play-In game to the Dallas Mavericks on April 16. Hours later, it was announced that the Kings and GM Monte McNair were parting ways mutually.
Story continues below advertisement
Sacramento had already fired head coach Mike Brown earlier in the season. Interim head coach Doug Christie has since been named the club’s permanent head coach, while Scott Perry was hired as McNair’s successor to the general manager position.