Does It Make Sense for the Kings to Bring Back Russell Westbrook?

When the Kings brought in Russell Westbrook back in October, the expectation was that he would back up the recently signed Dennis Schroder in the rotation. After a very short time, it became clear that Westbrook was the better option in the starting lineup and Schroder became expendable, despite being signed to a contract worth $15 million per year.

It can’t be understated how much Westbrook has helped the young players on the Kings, but The Athletic’s Sam Amick sees a world where Westbrook isn’t back for another season.

“The assumption around the league has been that Westbrook wouldn’t be back," Amick wrote.

The Russell Westbrook (Basketball) Experience

On the surface, Westbrook has had a solid season, especially when you take his age and contract into account. He’s averaging 15 points, nearly seven assists, over five boards, and shooting one of his best clips from three in his career. His 42.5% three-point attempt rate for the year is by far the highest of his career, and that willingness to take those shots has helped him continue to be productive at 37 years old.

RUSS PASSES STEVE NASH 👏

With this assist, Russell Westbrook passes Steve Nash for 5th on the all-time ASSISTS list! pic.twitter.com/CWL6UyvG0T
— NBA (@NBA) March 18, 2026

When it comes to Westbrook, you always have to take the good with the bad, and the bad tends to be bad shots and turnovers. According to NBA.com, Westbrook turns the ball over on 31.6% of his pick-and-roll possessions, which is the highest mark in the league among players with two or more PnR possessions per game. He’s also scoring just 0.7 points per pick-and-roll possession, which is near the bottom of the league for players running at least two per game.

On top of the lack of pick-and-roll effectiveness, Westbrook is the highest usage player on the Kings, and living or dying by his play isn’t something that is going to benefit a young team going forward. To be fair to Westbrook and the other vets, Nique Clifford and Maxime Raynaud weren’t ready to be relied on offensively until recently, but now I’d argue that it’s time for the Kings to try something new at the point guard spot.

A Former Lottery Pick Enters the Villa

In one of the more surprising moves of the season, the Kings decided to bring in Killian Hayes for a 10-day contract after the All-Star break. Hayes, the former seventh overall pick by the Detroit Pistons, was having an excellent season with the Cleveland Charge in the G-League before getting called back up to the big leagues. After a second 10-day contract, the Kings signed Hayes to a two-year deal with a team option for next season.

My initial thought upon seeing Killian Hayes shoot the ball is that he has less going on with his left hand/wrist when he's elevating; compared to his first couple years in the league

Looks more smooth

Hopefully this can lead to more consistent results as a shooter pic.twitter.com/4fIGtOdLWy
— Jackson Lloyd (@JacksonLloyd) March 16, 2026

Hayes’ shooting has left a lot to be desired, but he’s proving that he’s still got the playmaking chops that led him to be a lottery pick in the first place. In 13 games with Sacramento, Killan has 47 assists with just 15 turnovers and carries a +3.2 net rating. Hayes will likely never be a real, starting-caliber point guard, but he’s proving that he can at least organize Sacramento’s offense and take care of the ball.

With Hayes, Clifford, plus Malik Monk and Domantas Sabonis (if they’re back), the Kings should have enough of a committee to handle the point guard position.

Opening the Door to the Future

Another important consideration is the high likelihood that the Kings will draft a point guard with either their first-round pick or one of their two second-round picks.

In NoCeilings' latest mock draft (where the Kings held the number one pick), Sacramento ended up with Christian Anderson in the second round, and the chance that a player that talented could end up falling out of the first round is a reminder of why it might not make sense to have a veteran taking up valuable minutes next season.

“It’s going to be one that’s going to be … volatile when it comes to the reaction, especially if you get in the way of a prize prospect.”

There also remains the chance that the Kings fall out of the top 4 of the draft and have their choice of players, such as Kingston Flemings, Keaton Wagler, Darius Acuff Jr., and more high-level lead guards.

As Amick mentions, Westbrook taking away minutes from a point guard picked in the top-eight would cause some major tension within fans and the organization. For a team that isn’t expecting to win a ton of games next season, it would be much smarter to turn the keys over to someone who has the chance to lead the team for years to come.

18 points, 7 assists, 4 threes, and just 1 turnover for Illinois freshman Keaton Wagler in his NCAA Tournament debut. Poised decision-making, lights-out shooting, and craftiness on full display from the 6'6" point guard. https://t.co/QSlYf6zTYE pic.twitter.com/NVU0Z7ng8A
— Jacob Myers (@League_Him) March 20, 2026

Ripping Off the Band-Aid

Being able to bring in a player as talented and decorated as Westbrook isn’t something that should be understated. His presence has been huge for Max Raynaud’s development, and while we aren’t in the locker, I would venture a guess that he’s going to be someone that Clifford, Raynaud, and others talk about as a positive influence for years to come.

If Westbrook were willing to take on a Kyle Lowry role, where he only plays when injuries hit, then I would say it’s worth keeping him. I just don’t think that Westbrook has it in him to take a backseat with his competitiveness, and for that reason, it makes sense for the Kings to move on.