Russell Westbrook Won’t Play Overseas, Sacramento Kings Still Have ‘Real Interest’ In Him

Russell Westbrook won’t play overseas despite receiving interest from non-NBA teams, according to Marc Stein of The Stein Line.

The Sacramento Kings still have “real interest” in signing Westbrook.

“There has been ‘zero discussion’ to date about him weighing interest to play abroad this season, league sources say,” Stein wrote. “He’d naturally generate a slew of overseas offers if he was open to them, but I’m told that securing his next NBA opportunity has been the focus for Westbrook’s camp. Even if that means, as it increasingly appears, options fail to materialize until after the 2025-26 regular season starts on Oct. 21.

“Westbrook, who turns 37 in November, is entering his 18th NBA season. As we’ve been reporting since July, Sacramento is known to have real interest in signing Westbrook but has maintained throughout the offseason that its preference is to move out a guard (with Devin Carter believed to be the most available King) before adding the former MVP.”

Westbrook appeared in 75 games for the Denver Nuggets last season. The future Hall of Famer averaged 13.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, 6.1 assists, 1.4 steals and 0.5 blocks while shooting 44.9% from the field, 32.3% from beyond the arc and 66.1% from the free-throw line.

The Nuggets lost to Westbrook’s old team, the Oklahoma City Thunder, in the second round of the 2025 playoffs in seven games after defeating another one of Westbrook’s former teams, the Los Angeles Clippers, in the first round in seven games.

The 2017 MVP with Oklahoma City, Westbrook turns 37 in November. He has played for the Thunder, Houston Rockets, Washington Wizards, Los Angeles Lakers, Clippers and Nuggets. The UCLA product has the most triple-doubles in NBA history (203).

A nine-time All-Star, Westbrook has career averages of 21.2 points, 7.0 rebounds, 8.0 assists, 1.6 steals and 0.3 blocks in 1,237 games. He has made nine All-NBA teams during his iconic playing career.

The Kings missed the playoffs last season for the second year in a row. They traded De’Aaron Fox to the San Antonio Spurs and acquired Zach LaVine from the Chicago Bulls in February.

This offseason, Sacramento acquired Dennis Schröder from the Detroit Pistons in a sign-and-trade deal, traded Jonas Valančiūnas to the Nuggets for Dario Šarić and signed Drew Eubanks.

Westbrook was teammates with Schröder on the Thunder and Lakers, played with Domantas Sabonis in OKC and is friends with LaVine and DeMar DeRozan. The Kings are the only team interested in Westbrook, sources told DallasHoopsJournal.