May 5, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Russell Westbrook (4) runs down the court after a play against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the second half during game one of the second round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

Prediction Emerges on Russell Westbrook’s NBA Future

Originally posted on Fastbreak on SI | By Justin Grasso | Last updated Sep 2, 2025 7:55 PM ET

Russell Westbrook’s next destination remains one of the biggest question marks of the NBA offseason in early September.

As he became an unrestricted player back in July, Westbrook has reportedly garnered some level of attention from several teams across the league, but he hasn’t quite found his fit just yet.

Is it the money? Many assume a player at Westbrook’s stage would land a veteran’s minimum at this point of the year if he’s taking on a role to come off the bench.

Some recent rumblings suggested that Westbrook could be eyeing slightly more than the typical minimum contract. One NBA free agency prediction envisions a potential two-year contract for the former MVP.

Russell Westbrook to the Kings?

Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus no longer sees the Denver Nuggets as a suitor for Westbrook.

Nikola Jokic’s squad made some notable moves, adding Cam Johnson, Jonas Valanciunas, Tim Hardaway Jr., and Bruce Brown to the mix. If there was a mutual interest between Westbrook and the Nuggets at this point, the chances of them having a contract in place would likely be high.

Clearly, that’s not the case. As a result, BR sees the Sacramento Kings as the most logical fit for Westbrook on a two-year deal, which includes a player option for that second season.

“The Sacramento Kings stand out as his obvious next home, as they need a point guard to back up Dennis Schröder,” Pincus explained.

Last season, the Nuggets trotted out Westbrook for 75 games. He was a member of the starting five for 36 of those matchups. Throughout the year, Westbrook averaged 13.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 6.1 assists per game. He made 45 percent of his field goals and averaged 32 percent from three.

The Kings took some big swings on prominent names last season, adding players like DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine to the mix. They struggled throughout the year, finishing the season with a 40-42 record in a tough Western Conference.

Although the Kings had a shot at playoff contention, they ended up coming up short in the Play-In Tournament, failing to make the postseason for the second season in a row.

Sacramento invested a lot in the starting point guard position this offseason, striking a sign-and-trade to acquire Dennis Schroder from the Detroit Pistons. That contract will cost them $44 million over the next three seasons.

Westbrook won’t command a ton in free agency, but he seems to be holding out for a little more than the standard one-season contract.