Latest news with #RussellWestbrook
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
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NBA analyst makes case for former Nugget Russell Westbrook as free agent target
The Denver Nuggets have made some big moves this offseason, but they might be making a key mistake. Over the past few weeks, the Nuggets have transformed their roster as they look to make some noise in a tougher Western Conference next season. After taking the eventual champion Oklahoma City Thunder to seven games last season, the Nuggets clearly believe they aren't far away from making another title run of their own. With Nikola Jokic running the show, the Nuggets will always be capable of making some postseason noise when healthy. Of course, the Nuggets' run to the second round last season wasn't always fueled by their stars. Russell Westbrook was a key part of Denver's success in 2025, even becoming a playoff hero for the franchise. After declining his player option to enter free agency, Westbrook is still looking for his next home. While Denver has made some solid moves, such as adding Tim Hardaway Jr. and Jonas Valanciunas, Bleacher Report's Grant Hughes explained why Westbrook still has some value. Hughes noted that the former MVP has transitioned into one of the league's premier sixth men and still has the ability to take over games despite going into his 18th season. Considering all of the value Westbrook brought to Denver last season, the Nuggets could be making a mistake in letting him walk. By energizing the team on sluggish nights and consistently getting the crowd into games, Westbrook always added a spark that doesn't show up on the stat sheet. Still, as Westbrook looks for a new home, there is no doubt that he can still be a valuable piece of a winning team.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
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Sacramento Kings Could Form A Powerful Backcourt With Russell Westbrook And Zach LaVine
Sacramento Kings Could Form A Powerful Backcourt With Russell Westbrook And Zach LaVine originally appeared on Fadeaway World. The NBA offseason has only just begun, and the Sacramento Kings have some big improvement plans. In the aftermath of some major trades, the Kings are in need of a point guard, and recent reports from within the organization claim that they could look to Russell Westbrook to fill the void. 'Fellow free agents Tyus Jones and Russell Westbrook are also known to be options that the Kings are considering," wrote Sam Amick of The Athletic. "Free agency formally begins at 6 p.m. Eastern on Monday. Beyond the point guard vacancy, though, league sources say the Kings are open for business when it comes to discussing the various possibilities with their roster.' The Kings are still trying to find their way after a series of disappointing seasons. Despite their initial success with De'Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis, they failed to make a long playoff run, and the team decided to wipe the slate clean by trading Fox and parting ways with their longtime coach, Mike Brown. Going into next season, the Kings are hoping to be competitive with Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, and Domantas Sabonis, but they'll need a proper point guard to keep up with the steep competition. In a somewhat weak free agency, options are limited for the Kings, but Russell Westbrook is not only an affordable option, but he has the potential to raise their ceiling. The 9x All-Star is a future Hall of Famer with career averages of 21.2 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 8.0 assists per game on 443.9% shooting. As a 2x scoring leader, 9x All-NBA player, and former MVP, Westbrook has proven himself as one of the elite superstars, but his decline over the years has been swift. Ever since leaving the Thunder in 2019, Westbrook has been on a downward spiral that includes failed stints with the Rockets, Wizards, Lakers, and Clippers. In his latest stop, the Nuggets, the entire front office split over his role in Michael Malone's rotation. Now, Russ is set to decline his $3.5 million player option and join the 2025 free agency class at 36 years old. At this stage of his career, Westbrook's future is still uncertain, but the Kings believe he can help them win games next season. After averaging 13.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 6.1 assists per game in the 2024-25 campaign, Russ has something left in the tank, and his impact on the floor is still felt after 17 years in the NBA. While he may not be what he once was, Westbrook's skills as a scorer, ball handler, and playmaker should make him a fine addition to the Kings. At the very least, he'll make them relevant in the West in a lineup with Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, Keegan Murray, and Domantas Sabonis. After finishing ninth in the standings this past season, Sacramento needs a spark, and Westbrook can bring that and more with his status as a leader, veteran, and ultimate competitor. While he's expected to have multiple suitors this summer, Westbrook will have direct control over this next landing spot, and there's a lot to be gained from joining the Kings, where he could potentially start on a competitive story was originally reported by Fadeaway World on Jun 26, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
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Russell Westbrook Expected To Sign With The Sacramento Kings
Russell Westbrook Expected To Sign With The Sacramento Kings originally appeared on Fadeaway World. Former Denver Nuggets guard Russell Westbrook has been one of the many names floating around in the pool of free agents this offseason. While interest in the guard was reportedly tied to Ben Simmons' signing, the nine-time All-Star is now set to join a team. According to a recent NBA insider report, the veteran guard is expected to sign with the Sacramento Kings for the 2025-26 season. Westbrook's agent, Jeff Schwarz, has been in constant communication with the Kings franchise, and a "strong mutual interest" between the two parties was also reported earlier. The notion of Westbrook joining the Kings is an intriguing one. With Sacramento also acquiring Dennis Schroder this offseason, the Kings appear to have significant flexibility in their playmaking options. With two capable veteran guards anchoring their backcourt, the Kings will be able to adjust their starting lineups and rotations in accordance to matchups. In this case, Westbrook may receive preference owing to his experience with orchestrating an offense and overall upside. In the 2024-25 season, Westbrook played a vital role for the Nuggets as the backup point guard. The 36-year-old recorded an average of 13.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 6.1 assists per game, while shooting 44.9% from the field and 32.3% from beyond the arc. Although he has lost a step, the guard is still capable of putting pressure on interior defenders. This created a lot of opportunities for the Nuggets to score from the outside. When Jamal Murray was sidelined with injury, Westbrook stepped into the role of the starting point guard and flourished. In a span of 14 games, the guard notched an uptick in performance, with an average of 13.6 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 5.6 assists per game. He also recorded a triple-double of 12 points, 12 rebounds, and 16 assists during a game against the Golden State Warriors. Although Westbrook's time in Denver was also marked by some internal disputes, it could be considered a successful endeavor in the greater scheme of things. Joining the Kings at this stage poses to be an interesting proposition for the guard. Given how Sacramento's currently constructed, it seems likely that they will be looking to make some changes. The franchise has been linked to Jonathan Kuminga in trade rumors. Should they succeed in acquiring him, the Kings are likely to facilitate a trade for DeMar DeRozan. In many ways, Sacramento could be a very different team at the start of the season. While this may not immediately transform Sacramento into a playoff contender, it gives them the potential to be competitive. With Westbrook running the offense again, however, they will surely be interesting to story was originally reported by Fadeaway World on Jul 28, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
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Ben Simmons' Decision Is Reportedly Holding Up The Market For Russell Westbrook
Ben Simmons' Decision Is Reportedly Holding Up The Market For Russell Westbrook originally appeared on Fadeaway World. Ben Simmons has gone from being unavailable to play for multiple games to one of the most sought-after point guards in free agency this season. Not saying he's back to an All-Star level, but his upside seems to be the most promising investment for teams among the remaining free agent guards in the market, especially following Marcus Smart's move to the Lakers. According to NBA Insider Jake L. Fischer, who conducted a live stream with Bleacher Report, Russell Westbrook is among several veteran point guards who are seemingly waiting for Ben Simmons to decide on his future. To be clear, the players are not specifically waiting, but the teams are holding up on giving contracts to them because of their interest in Ben Simmons. While answering the public's questions about Russell Westbrook, Fischer had a noteworthy observation. "I think Westbrook is another player who's being held up by Ben Simmons. You know, he's had interest from Sacramento [Kings]. He had interest from New York [Knicks] at one point in time, but I do think that Simmons is younger and theoretically has more upside left on the table. Russ is a big personality. I think he is in the holding pattern just like Malcolm Brogdon behind Ben Simmons here." Nearly a month into free agency, we have only heard rumors about where Ben Simmons could go and teams that are potentially interested in him. But for some reason, Simmons has not yet announced a decision on his future. Where Could Ben Simmons Go? The former All-Star averaged 5.0 points, 5.6 assists, and 4.7 rebounds per game in the short stay he had with the Clippers last season. While his offensive production is nowhere close to being an All-Star caliber player, his passing vision and playmaking IQ are something that teams can still use to their benefit. Diving deep into Ben Simmons' potential landing spots, Fischer also gave a rough idea of the list of teams and players not signing contracts yet due to Ben Simmons. "I think Ben Simmons is now the most consequential free agent on the board. I think he is the player that's holding up guys like Malcolm Brogdon and I mean DeAnthony Melton, we still think is going to Golden State, but he's kind of the premier ball handler, backup guard, swingman type of player that's out there and Sacramento is definitely still a team that Simmons is deciding amongst his options." 'Right now, there's a bit of a Ben Simmons sweepstakes going on at the bottom of the barrel of the NBA free agency open market period. Ben Simmons hasn't been this big of a name since the days of Thad Young in Philadelphia. So, we have kind of a Ben Simmons watch." 'I don't think he's a candidate for the Sixers right now at all,' clarified Fischer as fans flooded his comment section, saying bring him home. 'But I do think that Sacramento is still looking for a veteran guard. New York is still looking for a veteran guard. The Golden State is still looking for a veteran guard. And we've got, you know, the Bucks have made plenty of inroads in that marketplace as well. I mean, they brought in Cole Anthony, so who's to say what type of opportunity is still there for them to play and bring in another ball handler?' 'But I think Ben Simmons is the domino that a lot of agents and teams are waiting on for this next evolution of the offseason market here. Sacramento, New York, Boston, Phoenix. I'm going to take Phoenix out of the equation, though. I think as of now, after the recent development of Jordan Goodwin going to the Suns.' Players like Malcolm Brogdon and Elfrid Payton are among the playmaking point guards who are yet to receive contracts, likely to teams considering Ben Simmons over them. The Sacramento Kings, New York Knicks, and Boston Celtics seem like the potentially favorable landing spots for Ben Simmons. Among the remaining unrestricted free agents in the market, only Westbrook (6.1 assists per game) and Payton (6.9 assists per game) have a better assist average from last season than Ben Simmons. It will be interesting to see where Ben Simmons ends up and how this will impact veteran players like Russell Westbrook and Malcolm story was originally reported by Fadeaway World on Jul 25, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Lakers jersey history No. 0 — Russell Westbrook
Through the 2024-25 season, the Los Angeles Lakers have had a total of 506 players suit up for them, going back to their days in Minneapolis. Some were forgettable, some were serviceable, some were good and a select few were flat-out legendary. As the Lakers approach their 80th season of existence (they were founded back in 1946 as the Detroit Gems in the National Basketball League), LeBron Wire is taking a look at each player who has worn their jersey, whether it has been a purple and gold one or the ones they donned back in the Midwest during their early years. We will now take a look at Russell Westbrook, who had a brief and controversial stint with the Lakers. Westbrook grew up in the Southland and attended Leuzinger High School in Lawndale, and he played two years of college basketball at the University of California, Los Angeles. While in college, he was named the Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year in 2008. The quick, ultra-athletic guard was the No. 4 overall pick in a talented 2008 NBA Draft by the Seattle SuperSonics, who became the Oklahoma City Thunder shortly afterward. Along with Kevin Durant and fellow L.A. native James Harden, Westbrook became a major part of a young Thunder squad that seemed poised to take over the NBA. But after it lost to LeBron James' Miami Heat in the 2012 NBA Draft, Harden was traded to the Houston Rockets. Four years later, Durant joined the Golden State Warriors, and Westbrook was left to carry Oklahoma City by himself. Well, he certainly tried. During the 2016-17 season, he became the second NBA player and first in over half a century to average a triple-double for an entire season. He would end up averaging a triple-double four times in five years, even after he was traded to the Houston Rockets in 2019 and the Washington Wizards in 2020. The Lakers dealt Kyle Kuzma, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Montrezl Harrell and Isaiah Jackson to get Westbrook in the summer of 2021, apparently at the behest of LeBron James. The trade quickly became an unmitigated disaster. It was bad enough that Westbrook didn't fit in alongside James and Anthony Davis, but L.A. also gave up several serviceable players to get him, and to this day, it has therefore lacked tradeable assets. The decision was quickly made to trade Westbrook, and Lakers fans heavily scapegoated him. Executive Rob Pelinka was patient, and he eventually dealt Westbrook in February 2023, along with a 2027 first-round draft pick, in a three-team trade that brought them guard D'Angelo Russell, Jarred Vanderbilt and Malik Beasley. Westbrook ended up averaging 17.4 points, 7.2 assists and 6.9 rebounds a game as a member of the Lakers. He joined the Los Angeles Clippers after the Lakers traded him and played one and a half seasons there before spending this past season with the Denver Nuggets. This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Lakers jersey history No. 0 — Russell Westbrook
