The 9-time all star accepts the minimum wage because he wanted to stay in California, where his family lives, but in Denver he could compete for the title, here at most for a place in the playoffs, as vice Schroeder. How will the agreement with the Lithuanian go?
Russell Westbrook to the Sacramento Kings. The director finds a team at the last minute, less than a week before the start of the 2025-26 NBA season scheduled for October 21st. The 36-year-old Californian has been in contact with the Kings since June and will sign a one-year contract tomorrow at the minimum salary for a veteran worth over $3 million. It will be Westbrook’s 18th NBA season, for the seventh different team. The 9-time All Star, MVP of the league in 2017, wore the shirt of Oklahoma City for 11 years, for one and a half (half a championship) that of the Los Angeles teams, Lakers and Clippers, and played a season with Washington, Houston and Denver, his last address so far. The Kings should be replaced by German Dennis Schroeder, the best player at the recent European Championship in Riga where he won the gold medal.
questionable decision
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At the beginning of the summer, Westbrook had declined the option to renew with the Denver Nuggets, despite having just returned from a positive season in terms of playing time, role and performance, both in the regular season and in the playoffs where the Colorado franchise had exited in the second round, surrendering in Game 7 to the future NBA champions, the Thunder. Russ’ numbers are sensational for that age and that salary, he also earned the minimum salary in Denver: 13.3 points, 6.1 assists and 4.9 rebounds per game, ranked seventh as the best sixth man of the season. Westbrook is a native of Los Angeles and preferred to return to California, the family is based in the city of angels, not far from Sacramento, which is the state capital. Of course, at the Nuggets he could have fought for the title, as well as continuing to play with Nikola Jokic with whom he had established a good feeling on the parquet and in the locker room, while at the Kings he could at best hope for a qualification for the playoffs, which is also quite complicated considering the fierce competition in the Western Conference.
the usual kings
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They had promised him a position on the staff for months. But in the meantime they had failed to place Malik Monk, who they saw as redundant, but who had no market in terms of exchanges. And so Sacramento prevaricated again and again, reducing itself to offering Westbrook a last minute contract. At the Kings it doesn’t have great logic in a context of too many external scorers, Schroeder, DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine and indeed Monk, and not enough traditional facilitators. Westbrook should alternate with Schroeder as director, the sense is that from the bench last season the Kings were 28th in points produced and 29th in assists distributed. Westbrook will fix these numbers, as well as bringing competitiveness, intensity and work ethic. But on a team that lacks cerebral players on the perimeter, he’s not the ideal piece of the puzzle. It will be up to coach Christie to find the right alchemy and the likely connections.
he and sabonis
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Westbrook goes from one European super big man to another. Domantas Sabonis is not Jokic in terms of absolute value, but he is a mini Joker in terms of characteristics. Russ will be able to trigger him in transition, play two-man with him taking advantage of the Lithuanian’s qualities as a passer and goad his pride in defense with his unmistakable competitive energy. He’s not the ideal addition technically, but at the minimum salary for a single season he’s still a steal. And then let’s face it: Westbrook was included among the best 75 NBA players of all times by no coincidence, the upcoming season couldn’t begin without him…
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