What to Make of Kings' Interest in Russell Westbrook and Victor Oladipo

Earlier this summer, Jake Fischer reported that the Sacramento Kings and Russell Westbrook were not headed for a reunion this summer. Westbrook had a decent year for Sacramento, averaging 15 points, 5 rebounds, and 6.7 assists while starting 58 out of 64 games. Still, it made sense that the Kings wanted to move in a different direction with Darius Acuff Jr. running the point.

Well, apparently things have already changed, as Fischer reports (via The Stein Line) the Kings are now open to the idea of Westbrook returning, but the second half of the report is what will cause some buzz.

“League sources say that Sacramento covets a veteran point guard to mentor prized rookie Darius Acuff Jr. and is thus now weighing the prospect of bringing back Russell Westbrook … or bringing in Victor Oladipo to fill that role," Fischer wrote.

Why the Kings Changed Their Tune On Russ

The Kings are in a rare spot; they’re simultaneously a mediocre and expensive basketball team. According to Spotrac, the Kings are just $3.67 under the first apron and already over the tax line. They do, however, have the ability to stretch DeMar DeRozan’s $10 million guarantee over three seasons. This would get the Kings to more than $10 million under the first apron and give them room to sign two veteran minimum players.

With a need at point guard behind Acuff and not a lot of options on the table, I can see why the Kings would turn to a familiar veteran.

Russell Westbrook this past season:

15.2 PPG
5.4 RPG
6.7 APG

And he’s still unsigned. Someone sign this man ASAP pic.twitter.com/vsoApAUm2i
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) July 27, 2026

Whether you’re a fan of his or not, I think we can all admit that Westbrook made a positive impact on the Kings last season. Sure, his playstyle doesn’t exactly lend itself to building a sustainable winning team now that he’s 37 years old, but in a role where he isn’t starting, he may find a way to make a positive impact.

More than his play, his mentorship helped Maxime Raynaud and Nique Clifford, who had great things to say about Russ, and it seems that the coaching staff and front office have a lot of respect for him as well. If Acuff wants to be a star in the NBA (which he obviously does), there aren’t many better examples to follow than Westbrook’s.

He hasn’t been seen as a good defender in a while, but Westbrook was mainly an athletic, defensive-minded guard coming out of UCLA. He eventually became an elite passer and playmaker at the point guard position, and also had five seasons with a positive DBPM, including a career high 2.4 in his MVP season.

The point is, you don’t have that kind of offensive usage and still make a positive impact defensively without giving it your all, and that’s exactly where Russ can make an impact on Acuff Jr. as a veteran backup.

What Would Oladipo Bring to Sacramento?

The Kings reportedly were in attendance for Oladipo’s workout in Las Vegas, which should’ve been a hint he was at least on their radar, but I’ll admit I did not think much of it at the time. Oladipo hasn’t played in the NBA since the 2022-23 season and has dealt with a slew of injuries that derailed his promising career.

Oladipo is a two-time All-Star, a former steals leader, and has averaged over double digits every season of his career. The question is, how much does he have left?

Victor Oladipo put his defender on skates! 🫣👀 pic.twitter.com/8ACu1kk22t
— NBA G League (@nbagleague) August 1, 2026

Oladipo last played for the Miami Heat and even ended up as part of their playoff rotation before suffering another injury. He’s looked just alright in the G-League, putting up 13.5 points on 38% from the field. It’s possible these roster spots are more about bringing in veterans, but I’m having a hard time coming around on bringing in Oladipo when Westbrook checks both boxes as a veteran presence for Auff Jr. and a backup point guard.

Are There Any Other Options?

There’s value in bringing in a veteran backup guard, and as I mentioned, I do see the reasoning behind bringing in Westbrook. Still, there is one younger option on that market that could actually become a mainstay on the roster. Brandon Williams might be the only option available where there’s a real argument that he would be a better addition than Westbrook.

NBA needs the expansion asap, there’s no way someone like Brandon Williams should still be unsigned after the year he had

One of my favorite tapes ever pic.twitter.com/eyKGWiNx9d
— Role Player Performances (@BenchHighlights) July 28, 2026

He’s a flawed player as a smaller guard and doesn’t shoot it well at all, but he’s tenacious and showed he can still be pretty effective despite his limitations. Williams averaged 13 points per game, had a great assist-to-turnover ratio, and shot over 47% from the field, even while shooting just 23% from three. His nearly 50% free-throw rate and incredible efficiency at the rim are incredible given his stature, and might actually make him a decent foil for Acuff’s playstyle.

It would be hard to be too upset about the Kings bringing in either Russ or Oladipo to fill out the roster, but how important is it for the Kings to bring in a veteran? Are Domantas Sabonis, Keegan Murray, Zach LaVine, and Malik Monk not enough of a veteran contingent for Scott Perry?

There clearly is a good relationship there to consider bringing Westbrook back; Oladipo’s return to the league would be a great story, but the question still centers on the Kings' roster choices and whether they’re optimal or not for a team in their position.

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