<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/oklahoma-city-thunder/thunder-news-sga-russell-westbrook-okc-record');   ga('set', 'title', 'SGA on verge of erasing Russell Westbrook’s wild Thunder record');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Thunder-guard-Shai-Gilgeous-Alexander-2-shoots-the-ball.jpg"><figcaption>© Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>SGA on verge of erasing Russell Westbrook’s wild Thunder record</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-10-23T20:32:02-07:00">October 23rd, 8:32pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-10-23T20:32:02-07:00">October 23rd, 8:32pm</time><address><a>David Yapkowitz</a>David Yapkowitz is an NBA Associate Editor at ClutchPoints. He is a credentialed reporter based in Los Angeles who covers the NBA/WNBA, NCAA/NCAAW and boys/girls high school basketball.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/oklahoma-city-thunder/thunder-news-okc-opens-title-defense-with-ot-feat-not-seen-in-nba-history">Oklahoma City Thunder have opened the 2025-26 season in thrilling fashion</a> with consecutive double overtime games, first against the Houston Rockets and then against the Indiana Pacers. The Thunder have been led by franchise player and MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who is on the verge of surpassing Russell Westbrook’s franchise record after his offensive explosion against the Pacers.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/oklahoma-city-thunder/thunder-news-shai-gilgeous-alexander-sets-career-high-with-55-point-night-vs-pacers">Shai Gilgeous-Alexander dropped a career-high 55 points</a> on the Pacers as the Thunder moved to 2-0 on the season, and with one more 50 point game he will surpass Russell Westbrook’s record for <a href="https://x.com/statmuse/status/1981552819078615369" rel="noopener">most 50 point games</a> in franchise history, as per StatMuse. Both SGA and Westbrook have five 50 point games each for the Thunder.</p><p>Gilgeous-Alexander is coming off his first MVP award while leading the Thunder to their first ever championship in franchise history as they do not claim the Seattle Sonics history. The Thunder originally acquired SGA in a 2019 offseason trade with the LA Clippers that sent Paul George to the Clippers. While it wasn’t the case at the time, it’s now widely regarded that the Thunder won that trade.</p><p>Last season, Gilgeous-Alexander appeared in 76 games for the Thunder at a little over 34 minutes per game. He averaged 32.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, 6.4 assists and 1.7 steals with splits of 51.9 percent shooting from the field, 37.5 percent shooting from the three-point line and 89.8 percent shooting from the free-throw line.</p><p>During the Thunder’s championship run, he averaged 29.9 points, 5.3 rebounds, 6.5 assists and 1.7 steals with splits of 46.2 percent shooting from the field, 28.3 percent shooting from the three-point line and 87.6 percent shooting from the free-throw line.</p><p>In the Thunder’s 125-124 season opening win in double overtime against the Rockets, SGA finished with 35 points, five rebounds, five assists, two steals and two blocked shots in 47 minutes of play. He shot 12-of-26 from the field and 10-of-14 from the free-throw line, but shot only 1-of-9 from the three-point line</p><p>The Thunder remain an early favorite to repeat as NBA champions, and Gilgeous-Alexander has a good chance at winning another MVP award.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

SGA on verge of erasing Russell Westbrook’s wild Thunder record

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/sacramento-kings/kings-news-fans-first-look-russell-westbrook-sacramento-uniform');   ga('set', 'title', 'Fans get first in-game look at Russell Westbrook in Kings uniform');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/NBA-Sacramento-Kings-at-Phoenix-Suns.jpg"><figcaption>Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Fans get first in-game look at Russell Westbrook in Kings uniform</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-10-22T23:47:12-07:00">October 22nd, 11:47pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-10-22T23:47:12-07:00">October 22nd, 11:47pm</time><address><a>Paolo Mariano</a>Paolo Mariano is a freelance writer, editor, and producer based in Manila, Philippines. He is a journalism graduate from the University of Santo Tomas and the father of a young girl whose personality swings from Simone Biles to Dillon Brooks. A beacon of objectivity, he believes Penny Hardaway is the true NBA GOAT.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Following a summer of uncertainty, Russell Westbrook made his debut for the Sacramento Kings in their season opener against the Phoenix Suns at Mortgage Matchup Center on Wednesday.</p><p>Westbrook was still without a team just a few weeks before the new campaign until the Kings scooped him up on a one-year, minimum salary deal earlier this month. It was widely reported that <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/sacramento-kings/nba-news-russell-westbrook-moment-demar-derozan-kings-rumors">Sacramento was eyeing Westbrook in the offseason</a>, but financial limitations delayed the move.</p><p>The former MVP checked in at the 5:26 mark of the first quarter, giving the fans their <a href="https://x.com/ClutchPoints/status/1981187669322514828" rel="noopener">first in-game look</a> at Westbrook in a Kings jersey. He subbed in for Dennis Schroder, whom the team also acquired in the summer via a sign-and-trade with the Detroit Pistons.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Russell Westbrook checks in for the Kings to a loud ovation 👏<a href="https://t.co/Otwc1FfoML">pic.twitter.com/Otwc1FfoML</a></p><p>— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) <a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPoints/status/1981187669322514828?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 23, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>Did it feel weird seeing Westbrook in a Kings uniform?</p><p>The Kings lost to the Suns, 120-116. The 36-year-old Westbrook contributed six points on 2-of-8 shooting, six rebounds, and a block in 19 minutes off the bench. He had two turnovers.</p><p>The mercurial guard played a similar role with the Denver Nuggets last season, averaging 13.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, 6.1 rebounds, and 1.4 steals in 27.9 minutes per game. While he flourished with the Nuggets, he declined his $3.4 million player option to test free agency.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/sacramento-kings/kings-news-russell-westbrook-defiant-take-retirement-barely-getting-signed">The Kings are Westbrook’s fourth team</a> in as many years, as critics believe that his play has dramatically declined amid the style changes in the NBA.</p><p>The nine-time All-Star, however, remains one of the most competitive players in the league, and Sacramento needs all the help it can get to make a deep run.</p><p>Westbrook will share backcourt minutes with Schroder, Zach LaVine, Malik Monk, and Keon Ellis.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Fans get first in-game look at Russell Westbrook in Kings uniform

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-russell-westbrook-hated-lebron-james-phony-behavior-here-brutal-receipts');   ga('set', 'title', 'Russell Westbrook hated Lakers star LeBron James’ phony behavior. Here are the brutal receipts');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/James-and-Westbrook-1.jpg"><figcaption>Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Russell Westbrook hated Lakers star LeBron James’ phony behavior. Here are the brutal receipts</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-10-20T10:53:19-07:00">October 20th, 10:53am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-10-20T10:53:19-07:00">October 20th, 10:53am</time><address><a>Jackson Stone</a>Jackson Stone is a Mercer University alum from Atlanta who graduated with a BA in communications. A lifelong sports lover, Jackson is a die-hard fan of all Atlanta teams. He joined ClutchPoints in 2023.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Los Angeles Lakers</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Recently, reports have been surfacing about just how ugly things got between Russell Westbrook and LeBron James during their time as teammates with the Los Angeles Lakers during the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons. The team missed the playoffs altogether in 2022 and ended up trading Westbrook before the deadline the following year.</p><p>The reporting has been done by The Ringer’s Yaron Weitzman, and now, <a href="https://www.theringer.com/2025/10/20/nba/lebron-james-russell-westbrook-will-smith-lakers-practice-photo" rel="noopener">more information is coming out</a> about some of Westbrook’s grievances with James.</p><p>“I feel like this is an interview of trying to set me up to say something. I can tell that you guys are in the whole ‘Russell Westbrook category’ right now,” said James after a late Westbrook miscue cost the Lakers a game against the Portland Trail Blazers. “…You guys can write about Russ and all the things you want to try to talk about Russ, but I’m not up here to do that. I won’t do it. I’ve said it over and over. That’s not who I am.”</p><p>However, Weitzman painted a different story, reporting that “Westbrook wasn’t buying it. To him, this was just the latest example of LeBron saying one thing but doing another.”</p><p>“People are saying, ‘Let Russ be Russ,’” Westbrook had said previously, which some interpreted as a shot at James. “I think nobody understands what that means. I think people just say it.”</p><p>Westbrook also reportedly was growing tired of James’ frequent blatant lying in the media, including claiming The Godfather as his favorite movie, pretending to read Malcolm X’s autobiography, claiming he predicted that Kobe Bryant would score 81 points the day that he did, and more.</p><p>“Westbrook knew LeBron’s reputation. He’d seen all the examples of LeBron seemingly misrepresenting himself,” reported Weitzman.</p><h2><b>A rough time for the Lakers</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/LeBron-James-gives-a-high-five-to-Russell-Westbrook.jpg"><figcaption>Bill Streicher-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>After the Lakers traded Westbrook in early 2023, they rebounded and went on a borderline miraculous run to the Western Conference Finals that year, but they’ve bowed out in the first round in the two seasons since.</p><p>Meanwhile, Westbrook has bounced around the league, most recently signing with the Sacramento Kings earlier this week.</p><p>Still, Lakers fans soon won’t forget just how toxic the vibes were around the team during those two fateful seasons. Who the blame should be attributed to clearly remains a point of debate.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Russell Westbrook hated Lakers star LeBron James’ phony behavior. Here are the brutal receipts

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-rumors-russell-westbrook-ghosted-lebron-james-vegas-kyrie-irving-trade-betrayal');   ga('set', 'title', 'Lakers rumors: Russell Westbrook ghosted LeBron James in Vegas over Kyrie Irving trade betrayal');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Lakers-LeBron-James-Russell-Westbrook1.jpg"><figcaption>Bill Streicher-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Lakers rumors: Russell Westbrook ghosted LeBron James in Vegas over Kyrie Irving trade betrayal</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-10-20T10:30:18-07:00">October 20th, 10:30am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-10-20T10:30:18-07:00">October 20th, 10:30am</time><address><a>Josue Pavon</a>Josue Pavon is an Associate Editor and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat writer for ClutchPoints. He started his career as a credentialed media member writing about the Boston Celtics for WEEI.com in Boston, where he grew into a local on-camera NBA reporter and podcast host for CLNS Media. Alongside the Celtics radio broadcaster and two-time NBA champion Cedric Maxwell, Josue is the co-host of the Cedric Maxwell podcast.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Los Angeles Lakers</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Ahead of the Los Angeles Lakers’ 2022-23 campaign, Russell Westbrook felt betrayed by All-Star LeBron James amid trade rumors that LeBron was pushing for a reunion with Kyrie Irving. The only problem at the time was fitting Westbrook into the deal, which was a move that the Brooklyn Nets weren’t interested in making at the time. Ahead of <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-lebron-james-stat-projection-basketball-reference">James’ 23rd NBA season in 2025-26</a>, he’s still chasing his second championship with the Lakers.</p><p>James was interested in swapping Westbrook, his Lakers teammate at the time, for Irving, which got back to Russell. It’s what led to <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-the-bothering-truth-behind-russell-westbrook-snubbing-lebron-james-in-sl-revealed" rel="noopener">an awkward noninteraction between James and Westbrook</a> at a Summer League game in July, per Yaron Weitzman.</p><p>“The scene became the talk of the night. Side-by-side images contrasting how LeBron and Westbrook had interacted at summer league the previous year—they’d entered the building together and sat next to each other—made the rounds on social media. The noninteraction was red meat for talking heads. It also sparked concerns within the team’s new coaching staff,” Weitzman wrote.</p><p>“We knew that we’d have to bring Westbrook off the bench eventually because things weren’t a good fit,” a Lakers coach said. “But seeing that play out that night it was like, ‘Oh, these mother******* aren’t even talking to each other.’”</p><p>Irving was entering the final year of his contract, a player option worth $36.9 million, and wanted an extenstion, which the Nets were not willing to do given Irving missed chunks of the regular season, and refused to get a COVID vaccine. He was also suspended for promoting an antisemetic documentary on social media. Brooklyn was not willing to extend his deal. Therefore, Kyrie asked for a trade, with the Lakers mentioned as one of his preferred destinations.</p><p>However, it didn’t get him any closer to LeBron and the Lakers.</p><h2><b>Nets, Lakers reportedly discussed a Kyrie Irving trade</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Lakers-LeBron-James-Russell-Westbrook.jpg"><figcaption>Rob Gray-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>The Lakers never came close to poaching Irving from the Nets in exchange for Russell Westbrook. The trade attempt also fractured Lakers All-Star LeBron James’ relationship with Westbrook.</p><p>“Negotiations between the Lakers and Nets went nowhere. Pelinka never showed any real interest in Irving. And even if he had, the Nets had no desire to take Westbrook back,” Weitzman wrote. “Irving picked up his option and remained in Brooklyn, but by then the damage was done. Because of the NBA’s salary-matching rules, the only way for the Lakers to acquire Irving would have been by dealing Westbrook.</p><p>“Westbrook knew this, and he knew that LeBron did as well. Meaning that no matter what LeBron said in public, the reality was clear: He was pushing for the Lakers to ship Westbrook out.”</p><p>Westbrook was ultimately traded to the Jazz in Feburary, 2023.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Lakers rumors: Russell Westbrook ghosted LeBron James in Vegas over Kyrie Irving trade betrayal

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-rumors-russell-westbrook-called-out-lebron-james-fake-st-teammate-bizarre-will-smith-incident');   ga('set', 'title', 'Lakers rumors: Russell Westbrook called out LeBron James’ ‘fake s**t’ to teammate after bizarre Will Smith incident');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/James-and-Westbrook.jpg"><figcaption>Rob Gray-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Lakers rumors: Russell Westbrook called out LeBron James’ ‘fake s**t’ to teammate after bizarre Will Smith incident</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-10-20T09:37:56-07:00">October 20th, 9:37am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-10-20T09:37:56-07:00">October 20th, 9:37am</time><address><a>Jackson Stone</a>Jackson Stone is a Mercer University alum from Atlanta who graduated with a BA in communications. A lifelong sports lover, Jackson is a die-hard fan of all Atlanta teams. He joined ClutchPoints in 2023.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Celebrity</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Los Angeles Lakers are currently preparing for the upcoming 2025-26 season, in which they will begin the season with <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-lebron-james-ripped-lou-williams-setting-bad-example-decision-2-0-fakeout">LeBron James on the sidelines</a>. It’s been a steady climb up for the Lakers over the last few years since their disastrous 2021-22 season, in which <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-russell-westbrook-savagely-ghosts-lakers-career">Russell Westbrook was their point guard</a> and they missed the playoffs altogether.</p><p>It became evident quickly to viewers that Westbrook and James didn’t have great synergy as teammates, and recently, Yaron Weitzman of The Ringer reported <a href="https://www.theringer.com/2025/10/20/nba/lebron-james-russell-westbrook-will-smith-lakers-practice-photo" rel="noopener">on an incident</a> during the early portion of the 2022-23 season that apparently pulled them further apart.</p><p>It all took place when actor Will Smith visited the Lakers’ practice facility to speak to the team. As Smith was getting a tour of the facility prior to meeting the players, James and co-star Anthony Davis apparently walked out of the room, with James saying, “Y’all got this.'”</p><p>When Westbrook questioned what was going on, teammate Patrick Beverley informed him, that “Them two guys can do whatever the f*** they want. They won a championship.”<i><br></i></p><p>Then-Lakers head coach Darvin Ham then entered the room, went and brought back James and Davis, and Smith finally came in to spoke to the team, at which point Westbrook began to see through James’ facade.</p><p>“LeBron was first. He had a question, he said. Smith answered. Then LeBron had another question. And another after that and another after that and another after that. On and on he went, stretching what was supposed to be a 30-minute session into nearly an hour,” reported Weitzman.</p><p>“I hate that fake s***,” Westbrook told a teammate.</p><p>Overall, the incident was a good encapsulation of just how tumoltuous the Westbrook era truly was for the Lakers.</p><h2><b>A rough time for the Lakers</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Darvin-Ham-interacts-with-the-staff.jpg"><figcaption>Jason Parkhurst-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>As previously mentioned, the Los Angeles Lakers ended up missing the playoffs altogether in 2021-22. The following year, they would eventually trade Westbrook and climb back and make it all the way to the Western Conference Finals, followed by first round exits in 2024 and 2025.</p><p>This year, Los Angeles is hoping that the first full season with Luka Doncic will produce fruitful results.</p><p>The Lakers kick off their season on Tuesday against the Golden State Warriors.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Lakers rumors: Russell Westbrook called out LeBron James’ ‘fake s**t’ to teammate after bizarre Will Smith incident

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/sacramento-kings/kings-news-russell-westbrook-defiant-take-retirement-barely-getting-signed');   ga('set', 'title', 'Kings’ Russell Westbrook fires defiant take on retirement after barely getting signed');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Westbrook-vs-the-Kings.jpg"><figcaption>Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Kings’ Russell Westbrook fires defiant take on retirement after barely getting signed</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-10-19T12:51:39-07:00">October 19th, 12:51pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-10-19T12:55:03-07:00">October 19th, 12:55pm</time><address><a>Malik Brown</a>Malik Brown is a multimedia reporter based in Atlanta who covers the Hawks and Dream for ClutchPoints. Malik has worked in entertainment and sports, and he specializes in the NBA and NFL.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Sacramento Kings have their veteran backup point guard now, as they <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/sacramento-kings/kings-news-russell-westbrook-joins-before-2025-26-season">recently signed Russell Westbrook</a> a week before the regular season begins. There were many questions surrounding Westbrook’s future in the league before he was signed, and there are still many wondering what his plans for his career will be after this season.</p><p>Westbrook has already <a href="https://x.com/ChrisBHaynes/status/1979988541292814382" rel="noopener">shut down any rumors</a> about his future, and there are no plans for him to leave the game anytime soon, according to NBA insider Chris Haynes.</p><p>“New Sacramento Kings guard Russell Westbrook says there is no plan to retire after this season, which is his 18th year,” Haynes wrote on X, formerly Twitter.</p><p>There was even some thought that <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/nba-rumors-russell-westbrook-overseas-interest">Westbrook would have some interest overseas</a>, but he still has a lot left in the tank and could help a team in the NBA. Last season, Westbrook was key for the Denver Nuggets coming off the bench, and he gave them the energy that they needed. The chemistry between him and Nikola Jokic was big as well, and he had to start at times during the season.</p><p>Later in the season, there were rumors floating around that Westbrook was an issue in the Nuggets’ locker room, and his teammates came to his defense immediately, saying the opposite. Westbrook then decided to opt out of his contract with the Nuggets at the end of the season, making him a free agent.</p><p>The Kings ended up being the team that looked like they could use Westbrook, and they should be set at the guard position going into the season. Dennis Schroder will most likely be the starter, and Westbrook will be the player who will set the tone coming off the bench.</p><p>It should be an interesting season for the Kings, as they have the talent to compete, but are still in a loaded Western Conference.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Kings’ Russell Westbrook fires defiant take on retirement after barely getting signed

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/sacramento-kings/kings-news-russell-westbrook-loving-life-fan-fest');   ga('set', 'title', 'Kings’ Russell Westbrook looked like he was loving life at fan fest');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Russell-Westbrook-of-the-Sacramento-Kings.jpg"><figcaption>William Liang-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption></figure><h1>Kings’ Russell Westbrook looked like he was loving life at fan fest</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-10-19T11:54:40-07:00">October 19th, 11:54am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-10-19T11:54:40-07:00">October 19th, 11:54am</time><address><a>Rishabh Bhatnagar</a>Rishabh is a seasoned NBA and sports journalist and editor with over seven years of experience working for reputed organizations. A novelist first and foremost, he has written three fiction books. His high threshold of knowledge combined with his writing skills gives him the ability to write uniquely insightful pieces across basketball, soccer, cricket, lawn tennis, eSports, and a variety of other sports.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Plenty has been made about <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/players/b3770983/russell-westbrook">2017 NBA MVP Russell Westbrook’s move to the Sacramento Kings</a>. After declining his player option with the Denver Nuggets, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/sacramento-kings/kings-news-russell-westbrook-message-signing-sacramento-fans-hyped">Westbrook signed a non-guaranteed $3.63 million free agent contract</a> with the Kings.</p><p>However, as far as the recent fan fest held at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento is concerned, Westbrook looked well and truly in his element. A beaming Russ was seen having the time of his life while sporting his new No.18 jersey <a href="https://x.com/SeanCunningham/status/1979684411491897488?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1979684411491897488%7Ctwgr%5E6da0b1c692e8a37570f027164e473e369c64de56%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.hoopshype.com%2Frumors%2F" rel="noopener">in front of the thousands of fans</a> who had gathered, per a video posted by NBC Sacramento’s Sean Cunningham.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Russell Westbrook was all smiles during today's Fan Fest, his first introduction to Sacramento since signing with the Kings just days ago. An open practice, a mini-dunk off, halfcourt shots (won by Devin Carter) &amp; lots of chemistry building with the team &amp; fans. <a href="https://t.co/PNAoaAqUHl">pic.twitter.com/PNAoaAqUHl</a></p><p>— Sean Cunningham (@SeanCunningham) <a href="https://twitter.com/SeanCunningham/status/1979684411491897488?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 18, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>Westbrook was initially seen dapping up the Kings’ mascot, Slamson the Lion, before greeting the rest of his teammates gathered at the arena. Russ was equally an excited member of the ensuing open practice, taking part in a mini-dunk off and a half-court shot competition. The latter was won by Devin Carter.</p><p>The 36-year-old even found the time to greet fans. He was seen signing a bunch of memorabilia for a number of young fans who approached him on the sidelines during the fest.</p><p>Westbrook’s fit alongside the likes of Dennis Schroder, Keon Ellis and Malik Monk has already been questioned. Further, his contract being non-guaranteed effectively means that he will spend the first half of the season “proving himself,” failing which he may as well be released mid-campaign.</p><p>The Kings will be the third NBA team that Westbrook has played for since leaving the Los Angeles Lakers back in February 2023. The nine-time All-Star was consistently linked with a move away from the NBA before landing in Sacramento as a free agent. Regardless, Westbrook already has a fitting legacy in the NBA even though he is yet to win his first championship.</p><p>The NBA leader in triple-doubles overall and a member of the league’s 75th anniversary team, Westbrook averaged 13.3 points, 6.1 assists and 4.9 rebounds per game on an overall .449/.323/.661 shooting split last season.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Kings’ Russell Westbrook looked like he was loving life at fan fest

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-russell-westbrook-savagely-ghosts-lakers-career');   ga('set', 'title', 'Russell Westbrook savagely ghosts his Lakers career');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Russell-Westbrook-savagely-ghosts-his-Lakers-career.jpg?w=1024"><figcaption>Typical Russ 🤣</figcaption></figure><h1>Russell Westbrook savagely ghosts his Lakers career</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-10-18T10:08:49-07:00">October 18th, 10:08am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-10-18T10:36:20-07:00">October 18th, 10:36am</time><address><a>Benedetto Vitale</a>Benedetto Vitale is an avid sports writer who is an expert at covering the NFL, college football, NBA, and UFC. He graduated from the University of Oregon in 2016 with a film degree but has since dedicated his career to sports writing.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Los Angeles Lakers</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/sacramento-kings/kings-news-russell-westbrook-joins-before-2025-26-season">Russell Westbrook recently signed a one-year contract</a> worth just over $3.6 million with the Sacramento Kings. He was in attendance at Friday’s preseason matchup between the Kings and the Los Angeles Lakers and met with some young fans who wanted his autograph.</p><p>The 36-year-old guard approached the young fans who held up jerseys of the various teams he has played for throughout his career. Westbrook signed all of the jerseys, <a href="https://x.com/legionhoops/status/1979578065933205914" rel="noopener">except for the</a> Lakers ones, as he seemingly skipped them before going about his day.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Russ had no interest in signing the Lakers jersey 😅</p><p>(h/t <a href="https://twitter.com/BrickCenter_?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BrickCenter_</a>)<a href="https://t.co/Ad7PwToZb1">pic.twitter.com/Ad7PwToZb1</a></p><p>— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) <a href="https://twitter.com/LegionHoops/status/1979578065933205914?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 18, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>Russell Westbrook played for the Lakers for the entire 2021-22 season before being traded to the Utah Jazz in the 2022-23 campaign. However, the Jazz bought out his contract, which turned him into a free agent, and he signed with the Los Angeles Clippers later that season.</p><p>He played a total of 130 games for the Lakers. During his time with the franchise, Russell Westbrook averaged 17.4 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 7.2 assists per game while shooting 43.4% from the field and 29.7% from beyond the three-point line.</p><p>His time with the Lakers was met with some controversy, as the 2017 MVP Award winner didn’t seem to mesh well in the scheme. Since then, Westbrook has played rather well off the bench. He served as the sixth man for the Clippers for one and a half seasons before playing the same role for the Denver Nuggets most recently.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/sacramento-kings/kings-news-russell-westbrook-message-signing-sacramento-fans-hyped">Russell Westbrook is now entering</a> his 18th year in the NBA. He’ll make his 2025-26 debut with the Kings on October 22 when Sacramento takes on the Phoenix Suns in the season opener.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Russell Westbrook savagely ghosts his Lakers career

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/sacramento-kings/kings-news-russell-westbrook-message-signing-sacramento-fans-hyped');   ga('set', 'title', 'Russell Westbrook’s 3-word message after signing with Kings will get fans hyped');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Russell-Westbrook-signing-brings-out-all-the-No-Kings-jokes.jpg"></figure><h1>Russell Westbrook’s 3-word message after signing with Kings will get fans hyped</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-10-16T17:21:47-07:00">October 16th, 5:21pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-10-16T17:21:47-07:00">October 16th, 5:21pm</time><address><a>David Yapkowitz</a>David Yapkowitz is an NBA Associate Editor at ClutchPoints. He is a credentialed reporter based in Los Angeles who covers the NBA/WNBA, NCAA/NCAAW and boys/girls high school basketball.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Sacramento Kings made a major addition to their roster this week <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/sacramento-kings/kings-news-russell-westbrook-joins-before-2025-26-season">with the signing of Russell Westbrook</a>. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/sacramento-kings/kings-news-how-sacramento-fans-feel-russell-westbrook-signing">Westbrook’s addition was met with mixed reviews</a> from fans and media alike, and it will be interesting to see how it plays out on the court. But in any case, Westbrook immediately endeared himself to Kings fans with a <a href="https://x.com/russwest44/status/1978961869143482669" rel="noopener">post on social media</a> harkening back to the team’s most recent successful season.</p><p>The Kings took the NBA by storm in 2022-23 when they made the playoffs as the No. 3 overall seed in the Western Conference, snapping a 17-year drought of missing the postseason. During that year, the Kings adopted a slogan after every win in, ‘light the beam.’ The Kings would shoot a purple light out from the arena after a win. Westbrook took to social media this week with a ‘light the beam’ reply to the Kings’ official account welcoming him to the team.</p><p>With Westbrook in the fold, the Kings are looking to snap two consecutive seasons of missing the playoffs. They have not been able to build off the momentum of the 2022-23 season, and Mike Brown was fired as head coach last December. The Kings eventually promoted interim coach Doug Christie once the 2024-25 season had ended.</p><p>Westbrook will be entering his 18th season in the NBA. He played for the Denver Nuggets last year, appearing in 75 games, including 32 starts, at a little over 27 minutes per game. He averaged 13.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, 6.1 assists and 1.4 steals with splits of 44.9 percent shooting from the field, 32.3 percent shooting from the three-point line and 66.1 percent shooting from the free-throw line.</p><p>During the Nuggets’ playoff run, Westbrook averaged 11.7 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.6 assists with splits of 39.1 percent shooting from the field, 31.7 percent shooting from the three-point line and 70 percent shooting from the free-throw line.</p><p>Whenever it’s all said and done, Westbrook has had a Hall of Fame worthy career. He is one of only three players, the other two being Oscar Robertson and Nikola Jokic, who have averaged a triple double for an entire season.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Russell Westbrook’s 3-word message after signing with Kings will get fans hyped

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/sacramento-kings/kings-news-sacramento-roster-move-russell-westbrook-signing');   ga('set', 'title', 'Kings’ next roster move after Russell Westbrook signing');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/IMG_0216.jpeg"><figcaption>Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Kings’ next roster move after Russell Westbrook signing</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-10-15T17:38:45-07:00">October 15th, 5:38pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-10-15T17:38:45-07:00">October 15th, 5:38pm</time><address><a>David Yapkowitz</a>David Yapkowitz is an NBA Associate Editor at ClutchPoints. He is a credentialed reporter based in Los Angeles who covers the NBA/WNBA, NCAA/NCAAW and boys/girls high school basketball.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/sacramento-kings/kings-news-russell-westbrook-joins-before-2025-26-season">Sacramento Kings signed veteran guard Russell Westbrook</a> on Wednesday, one of the final major dominoes to fall before the start of the season. But the Kings were not done adding to their roster after the Westbrook signing. The Kings followed that up with another training camp <a href="https://x.com/MikeAScotto/status/1978518790557024721" rel="noopener">signing of veteran wing</a> DaQuan Jeffries, as per Michael Scotto of Hoopshype.com.</p><p>With the signing of DaQuan Jeffries, the Kings’ training camp roster now stands at 16 players, and all three two-way contract slots filled. Of those 16 standard contracts, 14 of them are guaranteed deals with Terence Davis on an Exhibit 10 contract. While details of Jeffries’ contract were not immediately available, it’s likely that it is also an Exhibit 10 contract.</p><p>It’s possible that Jeffries and Davis are going to battle it out in camp and preseason for the final spot on the Kings’ roster. What’s more likely is neither one makes the team and the Kings go into the regular season with 14 players on the roster.</p><p>But in the case, that Jeffries does wind up making the final roster, the Kings are getting a player who is familiar with the organization. Jeffries began his NBA career with the Kings after going undrafted in the 2019 NBA Draft. Over the course of six seasons, Jeffries has suited up for the Kings, Houston Rockets, Memphis Grizzlies, New York Knicks and Charlotte Hornets whom he most recently played for.</p><p>Last season, Jeffries appeared in 47 games for the Hornets, including 20 starts, at a little over 22 minutes per game. The Hornets initially acquired Jeffries in <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-york-knicks/knicks-news-kat-reveals-wild-way-timberwolves-gm-revealed-ny-trade">the Karl-Anthony Towns blockbuster trade</a> as part of a salary dump. They opted to keep him on the roster for the entire season.</p><p>He averaged a career-high 6.7 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.1 assists with splits of 40.5 percent shooting from the field, 33.5 percent shooting from the three-point line and 80 percent shooting from the free-throw line.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Kings’ next roster move after Russell Westbrook signing

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/sacramento-kings/kings-news-russell-westbrook-signing-reminds-epic-troll-job');   ga('set', 'title', 'Russell Westbrook signing reminds of epic Kings troll-job');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Kings-guard-Russell-Westbrook.jpg"><figcaption>Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Russell Westbrook signing reminds of epic Kings troll-job</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-10-15T15:50:08-07:00">October 15th, 3:50pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-10-15T15:50:08-07:00">October 15th, 3:50pm</time><address><a>Josue Pavon</a>Josue Pavon is an Associate Editor and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat writer for ClutchPoints. He started his career as a credentialed media member writing about the Boston Celtics for WEEI.com in Boston, where he grew into a local on-camera NBA reporter and podcast host for CLNS Media. Alongside the Celtics radio broadcaster and two-time NBA champion Cedric Maxwell, Josue is the co-host of the Cedric Maxwell podcast.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Veteran guard Russell Westbrook is headed to the Sacramento Kings, who once epically trolled him amidst a cold shooting streak back in 2022. During a game on the road as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers at the time, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-russell-westbrooks-savage-response-to-kings-playing-cold-as-ice-in-la-loss">Westbrook heard “Cold As Ice” after every missed shot</a>. The Foreigner song was also used during Russell’s player intro and during the game, as he went 2-for-14 from the floor, including 0-for-5 from deep, in a 125-116 road loss.</p><p>After the loss, Westbrook reacted to the Kings’ <a href="https://twitter.com/RyanWardLA/status/1481516397024919552" rel="noopener">trolling throughout the game</a>, per Lakers reporter Ryan Ward.</p><p>“The arena? That’s funny. I hope they played that the last 14 years, too,” Westbrook said. “It’s funny, they were playing that. That’s cute.”</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">This was hilarious! Westbrook talking about his shooting slump and the in-arena DJ in Sactown playing "cold as ice": "I hope they played that the last 14 years, too. It's funny they play it now. It's cute [laughs]." <a href="https://t.co/pBpIKUNLh0">pic.twitter.com/pBpIKUNLh0</a></p><p>— Ryan Ward (@RyanWardLA) <a href="https://twitter.com/RyanWardLA/status/1481516397024919552?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 13, 2022</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>After Westbrook’s cold shooting during the Kings’ regular-season loss, <a href="https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/kings-not-allowed-to-continue-cold-as-ice-bit-used-following-russell-westbrooks-missed-shots-per-report/">the Kings were banned from trolling others</a>. Now, he joins the team that did it to him almost four years ago, and not much has changed for Sacramento regarding postseason runs.</p><p>The Kings last reached the playoffs in 2023, when they lost 4-3 to the defending champion Golden State Warriors, and that was their last postseason appearance in 19 years.</p><h2><b>How Kings fans feel about Russell Westbrook signing</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Kings-guard-Russell-Westbrook-2.jpg"><figcaption>Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Veteran guard <a href="https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/kings-not-allowed-to-continue-cold-as-ice-bit-used-following-russell-westbrooks-missed-shots-per-report/">Russell Westbrook joins the Kings one week before</a> the start of the 2025-26 regular season, as fans reacted to the news on social media. The majority of the fans’ response has been positive, as the Kings could use another veteran to help guide their younger players in the backcourt.</p><p>For most Kings fans, signing Westbrook <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/gwiss.bsky.social/post/3m3apg5l54c24" rel="noopener">makes a ton of sense</a> for the upcoming season.</p><p>“In the wake of the Keegan Murray injury, when Keegan is the team’s only real wing, adding an 8th guard makes a ton of sense,” wrote one fan on Bluesky.</p><p>Indeed, the Kings have a handful of guards on their roster, including veterans like DeMar DeRozan, Malik Monk, and Zach LaVine. However, most of them fall into the shooting guard category, which separates Westbrook from the rest of the pack.</p><p>And coming off a season with the Nuggets, who took the champion Thunder to Game 7 of the Western Conference semifinals, Russ averaged 6.1 assists per game — which would have led the Kings in assists per game last season.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Russell Westbrook signing reminds of epic Kings troll-job

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/oklahoma-city-thunder/thunder-news-why-kings-signing-best-russell-westbrook');   ga('set', 'title', 'Why Kings signing is best for Russell Westbrook, Thunder');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Former-Thunder-Russell-Westbrook.jpg"><figcaption>Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Why Kings signing is best for Russell Westbrook, Thunder</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-10-15T13:36:35-07:00">October 15th, 1:36pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-10-15T13:36:35-07:00">October 15th, 1:36pm</time><address><a>Josue Pavon</a>Josue Pavon is an Associate Editor and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat writer for ClutchPoints. He started his career as a credentialed media member writing about the Boston Celtics for WEEI.com in Boston, where he grew into a local on-camera NBA reporter and podcast host for CLNS Media. Alongside the Celtics radio broadcaster and two-time NBA champion Cedric Maxwell, Josue is the co-host of the Cedric Maxwell podcast.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Veteran guard Russell Westbrook agreed to a one-year deal with the Sacramento Kings less than a week before the regular season, ending speculation surrounding his potential reunion with the Oklahoma City Thunder. While there were no reports supporting his possible return, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/oklahoma-city-thunder/thunder-news-insider-shuts-down-russell-westbrook-reunion">NBA analysts opposed Westbrook’s return to the Thunder</a>. Here are a few reasons why.</p><p>For starters, the Thunder are not in a position to offer Westbrook a definitive role. All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leads a talented backcourt, one he shares with Lu Dort in the starting lineup while Cason Wallace, Alex Caruso, and Ajay Mitchell rotate in and out. If Oklahoma City were to bring Westbrook on board, he wouldn’t play, which wouldn’t have been ideal for Russell.</p><p>Playing time or lackthereof, was a contributing factor to Westbrook leaving the Denver Nuggets during the offseason. And for a player of Westbrook’s magnitude, a former MVP, who proved he can still produce for a top-tier team in a secondary role, he still has some left in the tank to contribute off the bench, thus why the Kings makes a lot of sense.</p><p>Westbrook will reunite with Dennis Schroder, with who he shared the backcourt with during his latter years with the Thunder, while teamming up with Zach LaVine, Malik Monk, and Keon Ellis. In a competitive Western Conference, the Kings will compete for a playoff spot.</p><p>It’s not a significant step closer for Westbrook’s chances of winning his first championship, but it’ll keep him busy and productive in a veteran-led backcourt vying to make a stride amidst the franchise’s growth.</p><h2><b>Carmelo Anthony says Russell Westbrook can’t return to Thunder</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Former-Thunder-Russell-Westbrook-2.jpg"><figcaption>Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Hall of Fame forward <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/oklahoma-city-thunder/thunder-news-why-carmelo-anthony-says-russell-westbrook-cant-return">Carmelo Anthony offered an All-Star’s perspective</a> to why Russell Westbrook couldn’t return to the champion Thunder. As a retired star who lived through the final stages of a Hall of Fame career, Anthony knows what it’s like to be in Westbrook’s shoes, through the twilight years of an impressive career, but can still produce in a secondary role.</p><p>Anthony explained where Westbrook <a href="https://twitter.com/LegionHoops/status/1977205930799645048" rel="noopener">is at in his career</a>, per 7PM in Brooklyn.</p><p>“There’s a difference between chasing a ring and I still have to enjoy this game,” Anthony said. “F*** chasing a ring at this point in time. You can’t send the greatest player back. He left and then come back, and then he’s not playing? No. As a player, I know I still can play. Hell no. Dame went back to Portland because Dame is gonna come back healthy and play. CP went back to the Clippers because CP is gonna play. He ain’t go back to sit on the bench.”</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Carmelo says Russell Westbrook could help a lot of teams in the NBA right now, except the Thunder:</p><p>“He cannot go from the greatest player in franchise history to maybe playing or maybe not.”</p><p>(via <a href="https://twitter.com/7PMinBrooklyn?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@7PMinBrooklyn</a>)<a href="https://t.co/N7qh4saDT2">pic.twitter.com/N7qh4saDT2</a></p><p>— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) <a href="https://twitter.com/LegionHoops/status/1977205930799645048?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 12, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>The Kings will face the Lakers in their last preseason game on Friday. No word if Westbrook will be available.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Why Kings signing is best for Russell Westbrook, Thunder

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/sacramento-kings/kings-news-russell-westbrook-jersey-rainbow-sacramento-deal');   ga('set', 'title', 'Check out this Russell Westbrook jersey ‘rainbow’ after Kings deal');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Westbrook-vs-the-Thunder.jpg"><figcaption>Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Check out this Russell Westbrook jersey ‘rainbow’ after Kings deal</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-10-15T10:46:16-07:00">October 15th, 10:46am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-10-15T10:47:18-07:00">October 15th, 10:47am</time><address><a>Zachary Draves</a>Zachary Draves is a sportswriter and broadcaster based in the Quad Cities of Illinois and Iowa. Zachary covers a variety of different sports as well as sports history, sport and society, and sport and culture. He is also a professor of sociology.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Northern California was thrown for a loop at Russell Westbrook<a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/sacramento-kings/kings-news-russell-westbrook-joins-before-2025-26-season"> signing a deal to play for the Sacramento Kings</a>. Plus, the timing couldn’t be better with the NBA regular season starting next week.</p><p>At the same time, Westbrook has now played for enough teams that he could make Judy Garland proud. In other words, he has <a href="https://x.com/BenjayCreates/status/1978499091098169365" rel="noopener">officially worn</a> every color of the rainbow, per Benjay.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Russell Westbrook Rainbow is complete <a href="https://t.co/2z8UopEoqy">pic.twitter.com/2z8UopEoqy</a></p><p>— Benjay 🖌 (@BenjayCreates) <a href="https://twitter.com/BenjayCreates/status/1978499091098169365?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 15, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>Altogether, Westbrook played for seven teams now to fit each color of the rainbow. Red for the Houston Rockets. Orange for the OKC Thunder. Yellow for the Los Angeles Lakers. Green for the Seattle Supersonics. Light blue for the Los Angeles Clippers. Dark blue for the Denver Nuggets.</p><p>Now, purple for the Kings. Speaking of which, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/sacramento-kings/kings-news-how-sacramento-fans-feel-russell-westbrook-signing">Kings fans are a bit mixed</a> about the signing of Westbrook to a one-year deal. On the one hand, Westbrook brings veteran experience and a true guard pedigree.</p><p>That is especially helpful following the news that <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/sacramento-kings/kings-news-keegan-murray-needs-surgery-tearing-ligament-thumb">Keagan Murray will undergo surgery</a> to replace a torn ligament in his left thumb. On the other hand, the Kings are already loaded with guards such as DeMar Derozen, Zach LaVine, and Dennis Schröder.</p><p>But there is still not wanting to get their hopes too high. Nevertheless, Westbrook is adding another dimension to his journeyman status.</p><h2><b>The Kings are the latest stop in Westbrook’s journey</b></h2><p>Over the last several years, Westbrook has bounced around from team to team. Last year, he was playing with the Nuggets.</p><p>Altogether, he averaged 13.3 points, 6.1 assists, and 4.9 rebounds per game. Additionally, Westbrook shot 44.9% from the field. Also, the Nuggets made it to the NBA Playoffs and <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/oklahoma-city-thunder/thunder-news-how-nuggets-took-championship-level">lost in the first round</a> to the eventual champion Thunder.</p><p>After a solid season, Westbrook <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/denver-nuggets/nuggets-news-russell-westbrook-makes-final-decision-player-contract-option">decided not to exercise his player option</a> and became an unrestricted free agent. Now, Westbrook, 36, will begin his 18th NBA season with the Kings.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Check out this Russell Westbrook jersey ‘rainbow’ after Kings deal

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/sacramento-kings/kings-news-how-sacramento-fans-feel-russell-westbrook-signing');   ga('set', 'title', 'How Kings fans feel about Russell Westbrook signing');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Westbrook-vs-the-Kings.jpg"><figcaption>Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>How Kings fans feel about Russell Westbrook signing</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-10-15T10:29:59-07:00">October 15th, 10:29am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-10-15T10:29:59-07:00">October 15th, 10:29am</time><address><a>Jackson Stone</a>Jackson Stone is a Mercer University alum from Atlanta who graduated with a BA in communications. A lifelong sports lover, Jackson is a die-hard fan of all Atlanta teams. He joined ClutchPoints in 2023.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>On Wednesday, it was reported by ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania that the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/sacramento-kings/kings-news-russell-westbrook-joins-before-2025-26-season">Sacramento Kings had reached a deal</a> with point guard Russell Westbrook with just a week remaining until the NBA season kicks off. Many fans <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/sacramento-kings/russell-westbrook-kings-grades-last-minute-contract-before-season">were wondering if Westbrook</a>, one of the most iconic players of his generation, would be picked up by any team ahead of his potential 18th season, and now, the former league MVP will be suiting up for the men in purple.</p><p>Westbrook has bounced around the league over the last few years with mixed results, and Kings fans had a <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/gwiss.bsky.social/post/3m3apg5l54c24" rel="noopener">variety of reactions</a> to the news.</p><p>“In the wake of the Keegan Murray injury, when Keegan is the team’s only real wing, adding an 8th guard makes a ton of sense,” wrote one fan on Bluesky.</p><p>Indeed, the Kings have a plethora of guards on their roster, including DeMar DeRozan, Malik Monk, Zach LaVine, and others. However, most of them fall into the shooting guard category, as another user mentioned on Bluesky.</p><p>“Sacramento didn’t have another true PG on its roster outside of Dennis Schroder, and now they have Russell Westbrook, who averaged 13-5-6 last year with Denver. Westbrook’s 6.1 assists per game would have led the Kings last season,” added another.</p><p>Overall, it seems that most Kings fans are reserving judgment until waiting to see how Westbrook looks in Sacramento.</p><h2><b>An interesting move for the Kings</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Nuggets-guard-Russell-Westbrook.jpg"><figcaption>Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>The Sacramento Kings had a brief moment of prosperity in 2023, making the NBA playoffs and very nearly beating the reigning NBA champion Golden State Warriors, but things have disintegrated from there, and the Kings now enter this season in NBA no man’s land, likely too talented to bottom out but not talented enough to compete.</p><p>Westbrook will certainly bring his fair share of energy and some highlight plays to the Sacramento fanbase, but whether or not he can raise this team’s seemingly low ceiling at all remains to be seen.</p><p>In any case, the Kings will kick off their 2025 season on the road against the Phoenix Suns on October 22.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

How Kings fans feel about Russell Westbrook signing

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/sacramento-kings/russell-westbrook-kings-grades-last-minute-contract-before-season');   ga('set', 'title', 'Russell Westbrook, Kings grades for last-minute contract before season');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Russell-Westbrook.jpg"><figcaption>Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images.</figcaption></figure><h1>Russell Westbrook, Kings grades for last-minute contract before season</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-10-15T10:22:15-07:00">October 15th, 10:22am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-10-15T10:22:15-07:00">October 15th, 10:22am</time><address><a>Malik Brown</a>Malik Brown is a multimedia reporter based in Atlanta who covers the Hawks and Dream for ClutchPoints. Malik has worked in entertainment and sports, and he specializes in the NBA and NFL.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Sacramento Kings have filled out their roster, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/sacramento-kings/kings-news-russell-westbrook-joins-before-2025-26-season">signing veteran Russell Westbrook to the team</a> for the season. There had been a lot of uncertainty around Westbrook and if a <a href="https://x.com/BrettSiegelNBA/status/1978493706299716047" rel="noopener">team would sign him</a> this season after he opted out of his contract with the Denver Nuggets after last season.</p><p>The Kings were the one team that <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/sacramento-kings/kings-rumors-russell-westbrook-sacramento-mutual-interest">seemed to have interest in Westbrook</a> 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.</p><h2><b>Russell Westbrook’s fit with the Kings </b></h2><p>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.</p><p>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.</p><p>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.</p><h2><b>Grade for Westbrook’s fit: </b></h2><h2><b>Kings add needed guard depth with Westbrook signing</b></h2><p>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.</p><p>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.</p><h2><b>Grade for Kings signing Westbrook: B+</b></h2><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

2025-26 SEASON STATS
PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL
10.3	4.3	3.7	0.3	0.7

2025-26 SEASON STATS
PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL
10.3	4.3	3.7	0.3	0.7

Russell Westbrook news

Russell
Westbrook news