Unless something changes fast, Russell Westbrook looks headed for free agency without a clear landing spot, and the Sacramento Kings appear to be the team walking away from the table.
Westbrook is currently an unrestricted free agent, and the Kings have made no moves to bring him back. That’s a sharp turn from last season, when Sacramento was the only team that even seriously entertained signing him. Right now, there’s no sign another franchise is ready to step in.
The situation is especially striking because Westbrook’s résumé hardly needs a sales pitch. He’s one of the greatest point guards ever to play in the NBA, a player who has piled up records and milestones that others will spend years trying to reach. The one thing still missing is an NBA championship.
That won’t happen in Sacramento for two reasons. The first is simple: the Kings are still a long way from contender status.
The second may matter even more - the team doesn’t seem interested in keeping Westbrook around. Without the Kings in the mix, his path to a title gets even murkier.
The uncertainty traces back to the 2025 offseason, when the Nuggets asked Westbrook not to take his player option because they didn’t believe they needed him. Based on how the 2026 playoffs went for Denver, they could have used Brodie. That decision pushed him into unrestricted free agency with no real market forming around him.
Then Sacramento became the exception. The Kings were the only NBA team to offer him a deal, and Westbrook accepted.
It turned out to be a timely move for both sides, with Westbrook stepping in as the starting point guard and setting several personal bests during his time there. For a fan base looking for something to latch onto, he gave them plenty.
Now, though, the same problem has returned. With Westbrook seemingly on his way out of Sacramento, there’s been no meaningful chatter about another team signing him. The Kings waited until the final stretch before the 2025-2026 season to make their move last time, so a similar late development could still happen before the 2026-2027 season begins.
If nobody steps up, season 18 with the Kings would end up being his last. That would be a rough way for a living legend to go out, especially if he still has gas in the tank and tread on the tires. Sacramento may still be the best place for Brodie, and his veteran presence would bring real value if the team decides to keep him around.
In Other News...
Kings Close Summer League With The Kind Of Finish Fans Needed
The Kings finished Summer League on a high note Saturday at Cox Pavilion, edging the Hornets 92-90 in a game that gave Sacramento a little of the late-game poise it had been looking for. Emanuel Sharp led the way with 16 points, Jonathan Mogbo added 14 points and eight rebounds, and Alex Karaban also finished with 14 as the Kings got useful production from a group that has spent the month trying to sort out roles and rhythms.
Sacramento did it without several familiar faces, resting rookie Darius Acuff Jr. along with Nique Clifford and Maxime Raynaud, while Dylan Cardwell was sidelined by left thumb soreness. Even so, the Kings were able to close the door after letting a 15-point first-half lead slip away, and the finish offered a cleaner ending than the way the game had started. [Read more 🡒]
Kings Are Betting Big On Darius Acuff Jr Becoming More Than A Scorer
Darius Acuff Jr. has made a loud first impression in Sacramentos Summer League run, showing why the Kings were intrigued by his scoring punch in the first place. Through his first two games, the rookie has piled up 47 points while also contributing across the box score with rebounds, assists, steals and blocks, a reminder that his debut has been about more than just getting buckets.
The bigger question around Acuff is how quickly the rest of his game catches up, especially on defense, where there are still legitimate concerns. General manager Scott Perry is betting that Acuffs competitive edge, paired with Doug Christies system and a roster that now includes more defense-minded pieces, will help round him out into more than a scorer. [Read more 🡒]
Dylan Cardwell May Be Giving The Kings Something They've Been Missing
As the Kings keep reshaping the roster, Dylan Cardwell has started to stand out for something that does not always show up in a box score. During the 2025-2026 season, he has been recognized for his leadership and the way he has influenced the teams culture, with a growing reputation as the kind of player who helps set the tone in a rebuilding locker room.
Cardwell has talked about accountability and the responsibility that comes with being one of the voices around younger players like Maxime Raynaud and Nique Clifford. For a Kings team trying to establish a new standard, that matters, even if there is still plenty of development ahead for both the roster and the role Cardwell is carving out for himself. [Read more 🡒]