Former NBA MVP Russell Westbrook could be out of the league starting with the 2025-26 season, according to NBA insider Jake Fischer.
Speaking on the “Insider Notebook” on Bleacher Report’s YouTube channel, Fischer reported on August 20 that only the Sacramento Kings have expressed interest in signing the athletic guard, who turns 37 in November.
“We are still waiting to see what other moves could come in Sacramento before the Kings try to bring in Russell Westbrook,” Fischer said, via SI.com.
“And that’s been the one home all along that we really have looked at for Russell Westbrook. And that is still the home I have heard earlier this week for Russell Westbrook — if he’s gonna be in the NBA at all, honestly.”
Russell Westbrook Struggles to Find Home
The California native has bounced around the NBA ever since the Oklahoma City Thunder traded him to the Houston Rockets ahead of the 2019-20 season.
After just one season in Houston, Westbrook was shipped off to the Washington Wizards, where he played 57 games during the COVID-shortened 2020-21 season. Thereafter, he spent nearly two seasons each with the Los Angeles Lakers and L.A. Clippers, before joining the Denver Nuggets on a one-year veteran minimum deal.
Many felt Westbrook resurrected his career in Denver, where he averaged a respectable 13.3 points, 6.1 assists and 4.9 rebounds from 27.9 minutes off the bench. However, his underwhelming showing in the 2025 NBA playoffs seemingly soured the Nuggets, who did not express interest in bringing back “The Brodie” for the 2025-26 campaign.
Could Knicks Come Calling?
Although Fischer mentioned the Kings as the only team interested in Westbrook’s services, Bleacher Report’s Andy Bailey has urged the New York Knicks to take a chance on Westbrook to fill out their roster.
“The New York Knicks addressed a lack of depth in the backcourt by adding the recently bought out Jordan Clarkson, but they were reportedly interested in Russ in July, and he could still provide a boost to the team’s playmaking,” Bailey wrote.
The Knicks, who ranked dead-last in the league in bench scoring last season, could benefit from signing Westbrook, who can put up numbers in a hurry when needed.
“Particularly in lineups with lots of shooting from Karl-Anthony Towns, Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby, Westbrook’s ability to get to the rim could be dangerous,” Bailey reasoned. “Russ himself would obviously benefit from time surrounded by so much shooting, too. It’s tough for defenders to cheat off the three-point line when all those options are on the floor, which would certainly widen Russ’ driving lanes.”
The idea of Westbrook, one of the greatest point guards in NBA history, struggling to find a home is somewhat unfathomable, but also not unexpected. Westbrook’s inability to shoot threes and defend at a high level has not bode well for his career in recent years, with many of his coaches pulling him out of games in crucial stretches.
Perhaps Westbrook could take his talents to Europe or China, if he fails to land on an NBA team. According to European basketball reporter Nemanja Zoric, Westbrook was offered a ‘historic contract’ by EuroLeague’s Hapoel Tel Aviv, but he turned it down.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Russell Westbrook Gets Devastating Reality Check From Insider appeared first on Heavy Sports.