The Sacramento Kings faced a sloppy start in their first preseason opener, where they lost to the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday, October 8. Then things went south when they faced the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday. The night took a sharp turn when forward Keegan Murray suffered a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his left thumb. With Murray set to undergo surgery and be out for approximately 4–6 weeks, it has been a significant blow for the Kings. But one man’s misery might be another man’s blessing.

As the immediate aftermath, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania, there’s “strong” mutual interest between Russell Westbrook and the Sacramento Kings. This is a signal that the franchise could be exploring short-term options while Murray recovers. Not a replacement, but a filler indeed.

The 35-year-old veteran is a free agent and could bring leadership to a Kings squad that now faces early adversity before the regular season could even start. Here’s the catch, with less than two weeks before the 2025-26 NBA regular season tips off, Russell Westbrook remains without a team. This is an unusual sight for a former MVP and nine-time All-Star. The former Nuggets star last played his 17th NBA season in the 2024-25 season. Then he did something, very few people could’ve guessed.

He exited from Denver Nuggets without sighting any real issue. But according to former NBA guard Danny Green, the exit was not about opportunity, or rather, the lack of it. On his podcast Inside the Green Room, Green revealed that the Nuggets were quietly deciding the role for Westbrook, which wouldn’t factor into their rotation this season. “From what I heard, they were not planning to play him at all this year, even behind certain guys that he should be above.”, Green said.

He could have stayed and collected his $3.5 million player option, but instead, he chose to walk away, despite some analysts labelling him as egoistical. He bet on himself once more. And rightly so, since his performance was up for all to see.

There’s more to Russell Westbrook’s free agency saga. As was recently revealed by Carmichael Dave, Westbrook has reportedly received a lucrative proposal from a Chinese team. “I heard something from someone I trust enough not to blow off what they said. He may have an offer in China for about half a season, and it’s damn near quadruple what the Kings could offer him,” Dave shared on Thursday. There is no reason why Russ should not accept this China deal, and it looked like he would until now.

Westbrook carved out a valuable role off the bench for a title-contending squad. Despite the shift in usage, he still produced at a respectable clip, averaging 13.3 points, 6.1 assists, and 4.9 rebounds across 75 appearances (36 starts). And due to the same reason, he was getting noticed by other teams.

By early September, multiple teams seemed interested in the idea of signing Westbrook. Among them, the Sacramento Kings surfaced as a leading candidate, but back then “there was no indication-yet” from the Kings. But now the clear indication might just be here.

How Russell Westbrook fits into the Kings’ roster

Sacramento Kings are trying to balance star power with consistency. Russell Westbrook can be the kind of short-term spark that keeps them afloat early in the season. If we look at Sacramento’s current lineup, it is deep on scorers like DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine, and Domantas Sabonis. All command heavy touches, but lack consistency. That’s where Westbrook thrives.

His ability to collapse defenses and attack in transition, can be a fitting compliment to Sacramento’s half-court-heavy offense. Now that Keegan Murray’s injury has disrupted Sacramento’s early-season plans, Russell can be the missing link. Even though, Murray has been with the Kings through his first three NBA seasons. The 25-year-old injury is a significant blow for a team that are evidently struggling.

Murray had a quiet preseason opener with six points on 2-of-9 shooting, but his four blocks showed how vital he for the Kings. And that is the area, that Russell could occupy, if the talks progress positively.

Westbrook, despite his age, still thrives at manufacturing points out of chaos, he attacks, and pushes before defenses set. Players like Malik Monk and Dennis Schröder can score, but they lack Westbrook’s ability to change the game’s rhythm. Integrating him into the lineup would allow the Kings to keep their second unit competitive. Simply put, while Murray heals, Westbrook could be the bridge.