The Sacramento Kings have filled out their roster, signing veteran Russell Westbrook to the team for the season. There had been a lot of uncertainty around Westbrook and if a team would sign him this season after he opted out of his contract with the Denver Nuggets after last season.
The Kings were the one team that seemed to have interest in Westbrook for most of the offseason, and the only thing that needed to happen was for the two sides to get on the same page. Now, with the regular season starting in a week, Westbrook has some time to get acclimated with his new team.
Russell Westbrook's fit with the Kings
Westbrook will be surrounded by an array of players on the Kings who can do a little bit of everything. There's a good chance that he'll be coming off the bench, which means he'll mostly be playing with Keon Ellis, Malik Monk, and others. Westbrook has always looked to make plays for his teammates, and with the shooters that Ellis and Monk are, they could get some good looks with him running the second unit.
He'll also be playing alongside the starters at times, and he'll make life easier for them as well. Domantas Sabonis and Nikola Jokic have a similar play style, and Westbrook played well with the Nuggets center last season. Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan are instant scorers, and if Westbrook can put pressure on the rim like he's always excelled at, he can get them good looks.
Westbrook has not been the best 3-point shooter throughout his career, but he won't need to do much of that with the other perimeter shooters around him. In all, this should be a good fit for Westbrook and what he brings to the court.
Grade for Westbrook's fit:
Kings add needed guard depth with Westbrook signing
The Kings had been looking for depth this offseason at the guard position, which is why Westbrook was on their radar. They added Dennis Schroder early during free agency, but they needed someone to back him up. They have options such as Monk or Ellis who could have taken that role, but Westbrook could be the true backup that they needed. With not many other options in free agency for the Kings to choose from at this point in the season, it only made sense for them to sign him.
Westbrook may not be the same player that he was years ago, but through the last couple of seasons, he's embraced coming off the bench and bringing the energy that a team needs in the second unit.
