After waiting for nearly four months, Russell Westbrook is out of free agency after signing a one-year deal with the Sacramento Kings. Westbrook will be playing for his seventh team in his 18th year in the NBA.
In an interview with Tristi Rodriguez of NBC Sports Bay Area, Westbrook opened up about his decision to join the Kings. The triple-double king feels “blessed” to be playing in Sacramento, crediting the franchise and his representatives for making the deal happen.
“It feels great, truly. I’m blessed to be able to have an opportunity to play and enjoy a place that wanted me to come here. So I’m grateful for that. … I have a lot of friends and guys I’ve played with on this team before. Not just that, but also an organization that (my agent) had been in contact with, trying to figure out ways to make it happen. With salary cap and all these different rules that I’ve come to learn, things you can and can’t do, and things just kind of meshed together that way. And I’m here now,” Westbrook said.
Westbrook played for the Denver Nuggets last season, revitalizing his career by averaging 13.3 points, 4.9 rebounds and 6.1 assists per game. However, his market in free agency was nearly nonexistent before the Kings deal.
Russell Westbrook Not Retiring At Season’s End
There was plenty of speculation about Russell Westbrook’s future during free agency. Westbrook clarified the rumors of possibly retiring after this season, denying that his career is finished, according to NBA insider and TNT Sports’ Chris Haynes.
Westbrook will be turning 37 years old this November, but he’s not interested in retiring from basketball. He’s still looking to win his first NBA championship, though the Kings aren’t considered title favorites this season. He’s also not feeling any pressure from past criticisms about his game.
“I’m grateful and blessed for the doubt, the ‘if I can and will play.’ I know what I’m capable of when given the opportunity. So when the season starts, I’m going to do what I’ve always done and compete. There’s going to be people who love it. There’s going to be people who hate it. That’s life for me. I didn’t make it 18 years on accident,” Westbrook said.
In those 18 seasons, Westbrook suited up for the Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets, Washington Wizards, Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers and Denver Nuggets.
NBA Analyst Blasts Kings Before Russell Westbrook Signing
Before the Sacramento Kings added Russell Westbrook to their roster, NBA analyst Zach Lowe wasn’t a fan of the franchise’s moves since making the playoffs two years ago. Lowe couldn’t believe how bad things were in Sacramento on a recent episode of “The Bill Simmons Podcast.”
“I hate this team, I hate this roster, I hate that Keegan Murray is already injured, I hate the vibes, I hate everything. I think this is going to be a year from hell for the Kings. This is the Hindenburg of NBA teams this year,” Lowe said.
Bill Simmons added that the Kings are in an awful position with a bad roster and no cap space. He’s baffled why the franchise is trying to recreate the 2023 Chicago Bulls that was led by DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine.
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