The Sacramento Kings have just 13 players under standard contracts, meaning they need to sign at least one more to reach the 14-man minimum. However, it remains unclear how they will fill their final roster spot.
The Kings do not seem desperate for any position, as they likely already have a strong idea of what their rotation will be this season. But regardless, they need to sign someone, and many eyes have turned toward a Russell Westbrook reunion. If the Kings had a void at any position, it would either be small forward or point guard. The Kings could certainly use a veteran to play behind rookie Darius Acuff Jr., and Westbrook seems like an obvious option.
This week, there were rumors that Westbrook was considering leaving the NBA to sign with an overseas team, but those were shut down by The Stein Line‘s Marc Stein. In doing so, Stein also mentioned that Westbrook’s potential return to Sacramento cannot be ruled out.
“One source close to the process told The Stein Line that a recent report suggesting that Russell Westbrook was in talks to sign abroad with Hapoel Tel Aviv was ‘laughably false.’ Westbrook to this point has not considered leaving the NBA after 18 seasons,” Stein wrote.
“The Stein Line first reported on Aug. 3 that Sacramento has sounded Westbrook out about a possible second season with the Kings … as they search for a veteran mentor to prized rookie Darius Acuff Jr. It remains to be seen if Westbrook, who did not sign with Sacramento last season until mid-October, would be amenable to coming back in a lesser role under coach Doug Christie than he had in 2025-26.”
Westbrook reportedly remains keen on continuing his career in the NBA, and if no other team steps up to sign him, it would certainly not be out of the blue to see a reunion in Sacramento. Kings GM Scott Perry has repeatedly expressed how much he respects Westbrook, and having him come back for another year to help out their lead rookie guard seems like a no-brainer decision.
Many Kings fans grew unfond of Westbrook last season because he was an aging guard who needed the ball in his hands to make a difference, and for a rebuilding team, that did not seem like the solution. However, his greatest impact his leadership and veteran presence.
The Kings’ rookie trio of Nique Clifford, Maxime Raynaud, and Dylan Cardwell would rave about Westbrook’s presence on the court, the bench, and in the locker room, making him the ideal veteran to have on this roster, which has gotten even younger than last year’s.
And, thankfully, the Kings would not need Westbrook to step up into a larger role like he did last season. In a much more limited on-court role, Westbrook’s main focus would be on helping out his young teammates, rather than being the team’s lead ball-handler and an offensive hub.
We will see if this reunion actually happens, as Westbrook is likely waiting to see if any other team is willing to give him a chance. But if it comes down to it, the Kings should not turn away Westbrook if they are able to get him back on another veteran minimum contract.
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