Sacramento Kings Eyeing Former MVP During Offseason

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Svyato Rovenchuk | Last updated Jun 26, 2025 11:20 AM ET

By now, anyone following the Sacramento Kings closely enough would know they are in the market for help at the point guard position. The team has been tied to several options in free agency as a result.

The lead guard spot became a position of need after the Kings traded away De'Aaron Fox to the San Antonio Spurs during the 2024-25 NBA season. New general manager Scott Perry will need to find a solution this summer, whether temporary or long-term.

If free agency is the route that the Kings decide to pursue, that solution will likely end up as a temporary one. The guards available are serviceable, and the ones that could be game-changers are not necessarily within striking distance of Sacramento.

There is a former NBA MVP that the Kings have been recently linked to, according to Sam Amick of The Athletic. This is a situation where the word 'former' will carry a fair amount of weight.

Amick reported, "Fellow free agents Tyus Jones and Russell Westbrook are also known to be options that the Kings are considering. Free agency formally begins at 6 p.m. Eastern on Monday."

The NBA insider added, "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 latter should be something Kings fans are all aware of. However, the connection to Westbrook would certainly be a new one.

The 2016-17 NBA MVP was with the Denver Nuggets this past season. It was an inconsistent season in a lot of ways, but the numbers do not look terrible by any means for Russ.

Westbrook averaged 13.3 points, 6.1 assists, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.4 steals in 27.9 minutes per game. While splitting time as a starter, the energetic guard shot 44.9 percent from the field and 32.3 percent from beyond the arc.

The Oklahoma City Thunder legend is well beyond his prime. However, a plug and play for one season in Sacramento could offer the Kings time to properly assess their long-term options at point guard.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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