Russell Westbrook has emerged as the Sacramento Kings' primary free agent target, according to ESPN's Tim MacMahon, despite the team's already crowded backcourt situation. The former MVP, who turns 37 early next season, would likely share ball-handling duties with recently acquired Dennis Schroder if he joins the "Kings."
"League sources consider the Sacramento Kings the most likely destination for Westbrook," MacMahon reported on Tuesday.
The potential Westbrook signing makes little sense given Sacramento's current roster construction. The team already features guards Schroder, Zach LaVine, Malik Monk, Keon Ellis, and Devin Carter, not to mention ball-handlers DeMar DeRozan and Domantas Sabonis.
However, this puzzling pursuit starts to make more sense when viewed alongside the "Kings'" ongoing efforts to land Jonathan Kuminga from the "Warriors." Sacramento initially offered Carter, Dario Saric and two second-round picks for the 22-year-old forward, before upgrading their proposal to include Monk and a lottery-protected first-round pick—which Golden State also rejected.
The timing suggests Sacramento is positioning themselves for a larger roster overhaul. If they manage to move one or both of Carter and Monk while acquiring Kuminga, adding Westbrook as a veteran bench presence could be the final piece of their offseason strategy.
Still, basketball fit remains questionable. Bringing in two non-spacing threats like Kuminga and Westbrook would create serious floor-spacing challenges for a team that already features several players who need the ball in their hands.
While the "Kings" appear to be moving as if they expect to eventually land Kuminga, the "Warriors" retain leverage in negotiations. They're reportedly hoping to keep the former seventh overall pick, even if only to trade him later at a higher value. Will Sacramento's persistence eventually pay off, or are they creating a roster logjam for nothing?
