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One more pressing Kings note as relayed by The People's Insider Jake Fischer: League sources say that Sacramento covets a veteran point guard to mentor prized rookie Darius Acuff Jr. and is thus now weighing the prospect of bringing back Russell Westbrook … or bringing in Victor Oladipo to fill that role. The Kings were among the teams to attend Oladipo's recent workout in Las Vegas during summer league.

NBA Courtside: Joe Johnson says if he’s the Houston Rockets I’m taking that gamble on Russel Westbrook teaming back up with Kevin Durant: “I’m taking that gamble because look, think about this. Even if Fred VanVleet, I’m sure he will start the season, but damn, he just come off of ACL surgery. Y’all going to run him in the ground for 82 game. And what he going to be able to get you in the postseason? Nothing. So, you got to have some depth at that point guard position. Guys who know how to play, guys who know and understand the game and who can make the game easy for guys around him. So, I always think, bro, and when you look at him because he up in age, he always in great damn shape. And for me, y’all know me, bro. I’m a guy who loves a guy in great shape. You’re in great shape. You can play with me any day.” (Via @NightcapShow_ )

NBA Courtside: Dillon Brooks says Russell Westbrook play style is hard to coach: “His play style is so different. It’s hard to coach. He needs the ball. He has to have the ball in his hands”

Jonathan Abrams: What if OKC had kept Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and James Harden? Excited to announce my next book, WHEN WE WERE YOUNG AND FEARLESS, coming 11/3—a deep dive into the trio that reshaped the NBA. Pre-order link: harpercollins.com/products/when-

NBA Stat: Worst clutch 3PT% in the 2025-26 NBA Regular Season (min. 15 clutch 3PA): 1. Cade Cunningham — 6.7% 2. Paolo Banchero — 10.5% 3. PJ Washington — 11.1% 4. Michael Porter Jr. — 16.0% 5. Russell Westbrook — 18.8% (via Clutch Numbers) #NBA
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Jake Fischer on Russell Westbrook: ‘I truly have not heard any updates on him since we’ve heard before the opening bell of free agency that the Wizards were interested in him. But also, ever since Washington managed to sneak that Khris Middleton sign-and-trade into a six-team multi-team trade to bring Middleton back to D.C. after that first half of last season, I have been ruling out the Wizards as a Russell Westbrook team. So really I don’t have a home for him right now, I don't believe Sacramento wants him back, I don’t think he wants to come back there.’

During his latest updates for Bleacher Report, Jake Fischer was asked if the Kings would like to bring Westbrook back for another year to potentially mentor Acuff Jr. Apparently, the NBA insider dismissed any possibility that Sacramento will look to retain the former NBA star. "At this point, no disrespect to Russell Westbrook, but I haven't heard that the Kings would want him back really in any fashion," Fischer said. "I do believe that Sacramento has 15 full roster spots right now. "I don't think they are looking to really move a lot of furniture around to make an opening for Russell Westbrook to come back."

According to a league source, Russell Westbrook is a candidate to join the Heat but not if LeBron James signs in Miami. Westbrook, 37, is a diminished version of his former MVP self but still averaged 15.2 points over 64 games last season with the Kings.

Kawhi League sources tell The Athletic that Kawhi Leonard’s camp is exploring what is out there. Like in 2023, he’s extension eligible, though the Clippers did not agree to extensions with him or George then. They wound up adding Harden’s contract year shortly after the start of the 2023-24 regular season, despite the presence of Russell Westbrook as a starting point guard. Leonard signed his three-year extension later that season, but the Clippers failed to advance out of the first round twice and the Play-In that year and the next two. The only other Clipper still with the team besides Leonard from the end of the 2024 season is Jordan Miller. This whole roster has been turned over.
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League sources tell The Stein Line that Washington has a level interest in Russell Westbrook. The nine-time former All-Star's final season of the four in his career in which he averaged a triple-double (22.2 PPG, 11.5 RPG and 11.7 APG) came in 2020-21 with the Wizards.

NBA: SGA passes Russ 👏 In tonight's Game 2 win, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander recorded his 27th career postseason game with 30+ PTS for the Thunder, passing Russell Westbrook (26) for the second-most such postseason games in franchise history. Only Kevin Durant (39) has more.