Russell Westbrook is still sitting on the open market, and that alone makes him one of the more intriguing names left in NBA free agency.
The 37-year-old guard spent the 2025 season with the Sacramento Kings, where he started and put up 15.2 points per game. He’s not the MVP force he once was, but he remains a live-wire playmaker who can still help a team that needs guard depth, ball movement, and a steady playoff-tested presence.
Basketnews.com’s Edvinas Kuzas pointed to three possible landing spots: the Miami Heat, Oklahoma City Thunder, and Minnesota Timberwolves.
Miami has been relatively quiet in free agency aside from signing Tim Hardaway Jr., and the article says President of Basketball Operations Pat Riley still needs to add more help before the season to support Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo. Westbrook’s shooting limitations would not make him a perfect fit there, but he could bring real value as a leader for Erik Spoelstra’s second unit and as a veteran voice in the locker room.
Oklahoma City is in a different spot. The Thunder already have a deep guard rotation and, according to the source, would be better served putting more resources into the front court. Even so, a reunion with Westbrook would be a fun one, and he could still give Mark Daigneault’s group something useful.
Minnesota was also mentioned as a team that could be looking for more behind-the-scenes help at point guard. The source says the Timberwolves could seek an upgrade over Bones Hyland as the backup behind LaMelo Ball, and Westbrook would fit as both a mentor to Ball and an offensive option off the bench.
The bottom line is simple: Westbrook should come cheap, and the source suggests he still has plenty left. Miami, Oklahoma City, Minnesota, and other contenders could all do worse than taking a flier on a future Hall of Fame guard.
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Thunder Rotation Battle Just Got Real For Mark Daigneault
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The real intrigue is in the middle of the roster, where health and performance will sort out who gets trusted once the games start mattering. A few players are already on the bubble or fighting to carve out a role, and the frontcourt picture is especially unsettled as Oklahoma City weighs size, availability and fit for those last minutes. Daigneault has options, which is usually a good problem, but it also means the competition for rotation spots is about to get very real. [Read more 🡒]