[Rumor] Kings exploring trade to pursue ex-Nuggets guard Russell Westbrook

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According to reports, the Sacramento Kings are exploring trade options to make room to sign unrestricted free agent Russell Westbrook.

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I have a hard time understanding how signing Westbrook makes any sense unless we’re sending out at least two of the following players: Monk, Carter, & DeRozan. The minutes just aren’t there.

For instance, let’s say the Monk for Kuminga trade ends up happening, I could see the minutes distribution being…

PG - Schroder (26) / Ellis (12) / Carter (10)
SG - LaVine (32) / Ellis (14) / Clifford (2)
SF - Murray (14) / DeRozan (26) / Clifford (8)
PF - Kuminga (32) / Murray (16)
C - Sabonis (34) / Raynaud (14)

Sabonis = 34 min
LaVine = 32 min
Kuminga = 32 min
Murray = 30 min
Schroder = 26 min
Ellis = 26 min
DeRozan = 26 min
Raynaud = 14 min
Carter = 10 min
Clifford = 10 min

If you add Westbrook to that, where are the minutes coming from? I guess you could cut Carter and Clifford out and give Westbrook 20 min, but now you’re not playing your young, 1st round talents to help them develop.

I guess you could reduce the collective minutes for Ellis, Carter, and Clifford, but again, you’re giving Carter and Clifford scraps at that point and giving Ellis a much smaller role than he deserves (26-30 mpg).

You’re not really going to drop DeRozan below 26 mpg. LaVine dipping below 30 mpg likely can’t be justified. Schroder is already at 26 mpg.

So again, adding Westbrook is going to be at the detriment of a combination of Ellis, Carter, & Clifford. How is that a smart move?




Now if Monk is traded for Kuminga AND DeRozan is traded for pick(s) & matching, expiring contracts (for example), then maybe the minutes make more sense with Westbrook added to the roster…

PG - Schroder (26) / Westbrook (18) / Carter (4)
SG - LaVine (16) / Ellis (22) / Carter (10)
SF - Murray (14) / LaVine (16) / Clifford (14) / Ellis (4)
PF - Kuminga (32) / Murray (16)
C - Sabonis (34) / Raynaud (14)

Sabonis = 34 min
LaVine = 32 min
Kuminga = 32 min
Murray = 30 min
Schroder = 26 min
Ellis = 26 min
Westbrook = 18 min
Carter = 14 min
Clifford = 14 min
Raynaud = 14 min

Unfortunately, it seems we’re wanting to add him if ONLY Monk is moved (rather than after Monk and another rotation player are moved). I think that’d be a mistake.
 
I have a hard time understanding how signing Westbrook makes any sense unless we’re sending out at least two of the following players: Monk, Carter, & DeRozan. The minutes just aren’t there.

For instance, let’s say the Monk for Kuminga trade ends up happening, I could see the minutes distribution being…

PG - Schroder (26) / Ellis (12) / Carter (10)
SG - LaVine (32) / Ellis (14) / Clifford (2)
SF - Murray (14) / DeRozan (26) / Clifford (8)
PF - Kuminga (32) / Murray (16)
C - Sabonis (34) / Raynaud (14)

Sabonis = 34 min
LaVine = 32 min
Kuminga = 32 min
Murray = 30 min
Schroder = 26 min
Ellis = 26 min
DeRozan = 26 min
Raynaud = 14 min
Carter = 10 min
Clifford = 10 min

If you add Westbrook to that, where are the minutes coming from? I guess you could cut Carter and Clifford out and give Westbrook 20 min, but now you’re not playing your young, 1st round talents to help them develop.

I guess you could reduce the collective minutes for Ellis, Carter, and Clifford, but again, you’re giving Carter and Clifford scraps at that point and giving Ellis a much smaller role than he deserves (26-30 mpg).

You’re not really going to drop DeRozan below 26 mpg. LaVine dipping below 30 mpg likely can’t be justified. Schroder is already at 26 mpg.

So again, adding Westbrook is going to be at the detriment of a combination of Ellis, Carter, & Clifford. How is that a smart move?




Now if Monk is traded for Kuminga AND DeRozan is traded for pick(s) & matching, expiring contracts (for example), then maybe the minutes make more sense with Westbrook added to the roster…

PG - Schroder (26) / Westbrook (18) / Carter (4)
SG - LaVine (16) / Ellis (22) / Carter (10)
SF - Murray (14) / LaVine (16) / Clifford (14) / Ellis (4)
PF - Kuminga (32) / Murray (16)
C - Sabonis (34) / Raynaud (14)

Sabonis = 34 min
LaVine = 32 min
Kuminga = 32 min
Murray = 30 min
Schroder = 26 min
Ellis = 26 min
Westbrook = 18 min
Carter = 14 min
Clifford = 14 min
Raynaud = 14 min

Unfortunately, it seems we’re wanting to add him if ONLY Monk is moved (rather than after Monk and another rotation player are moved). I think that’d be a mistake.

Im trying very hard not to be completely doomed about this new regime, before a real basketball game has been played, but its becoming increasingly more difficult by the day.
 
Headline: "Kings Backtrack After Malik Monk Backlash To Save Face"

"The backlash was immediate. Trading away one of the few dependable players on the roster for a declining guard? Kings fans weren’t having it."


Maybe they do listen, after all, at least a little.
 
Not sure why anyone should be surprised. In almost 20 years of Kings basketball, they really haven’t had a player who brings the same kind of cultural impact as Russell Westbrook.

It was cool when GM McNair leaned into building a roster full of humble, low-key personalities, with Fox and Harrison Barnes setting the tone as leaders. But Westbrook is a different breed. His relentless drive, leadership presence, and ability to dictate the pace as a point guard make him the kind of cultural setter this team has never really had. Even if he's only going to be a rental for a year or two, if there’s one mentality I’d love to see the young Kings carry forward, it’s his fearless, all-in approach.
 
Not sure why anyone should be surprised. In almost 20 years of Kings basketball, they really haven’t had a player who brings the same kind of cultural impact as Russell Westbrook.

It was cool when GM McNair leaned into building a roster full of humble, low-key personalities, with Fox and Harrison Barnes setting the tone as leaders. But Westbrook is a different breed. His relentless drive, leadership presence, and ability to dictate the pace as a point guard make him the kind of cultural setter this team has never really had. Even if he's only going to be a rental for a year or two, if there’s one mentality I’d love to see the young Kings carry forward, it’s his fearless, all-in approach.

Laughable
 
It's almost like there is a reason he's not on an NBA roster and the only team that is looking at adding him is us.

Not the type of "leader" I'd like on this team.

People on here can get talked into anything “ya I’m cool with Westbrook” like we need another old guard that can’t shoot while having one playable wing over 6’6. We need leadership and culture while having an old roster makes sense
 
I kind of get the Westbrook thing!
Which part?

Being old af
Being insane and delusional
Being inconsistent
Having an unreliable shot
Not fitting the team
Having to jettison other players so he can be here
Having no godly reason to be here
Taking time away from younger players who should be receiving it
Not having anyone else interested

Yeah I'm down too.
 
I don't want Westbrook although if he's just the 15th man on the roster on a minimum I also don't care. Realistically he can give us more than Fultz did.
 
Of all the tweets, reports and articles we get in the offseason what percentage of them would you say actually happens?

Yeah, obviously the Kings are realizing that they have very few movable pieces. Nobody wants the Kings cap fillers right now. As in like none of them which is pretty horrifying TBH when you cosider they may have added another on top of it in the form a 32 year old Schroder. I still really think this is teams putting stuff out there so they can nab a young player on the cheap. Considering the Kings history of ruining more than a few young players careers it's warranted. There is literally no impediment to the Kings signing Westbrook at this point. Waive Davis and be done with it. No move technically has to be made. Sign Westbrook, sit all the young guys and if and when things are looking hopeless at the deadline transition over. Knowing the Kings though they'll probably sign Westbook to a 3 year deal making whatever the max they can use out of the MLE is. lol.
 
They aren't trading Carter just to sign Westbrook. They'd be trading Carter to add a piece and then opening up a spot for Westbrook.

I don't know why the current regime is so down on Carter, you have to imagine Christie hasn't given a vote of confidence either. There must be more going on behind the scenes or off the court?
 
Who knows I just know that name shouldn’t even be mentioned with the kings like it’s not 95% of the league.

It’s an extremely vague tweet that doesn’t even mention a deal. I’m not sure how you can trash the org and come to a conclusion without filling in the blanks with multiple assumptions.
 
Unfortunately it doesn't solve the defense issues in the front court and that contract could look bad but I'd probably do it.
Was Lauri hurt last year? His numbers dropped off pretty hard. If he just hit the wall at 27 and he's on the way down, then this would be a massive error. If he comes back to form, it would balance out the roster a bit - but as you said, not really provide help on D, and be pretty costly, both in terms of $$$ and giving away two firsts + DC. Lauri at a discount would be worth that package, but Lauri at full price might not be.
 
They aren't trading Carter just to sign Westbrook. They'd be trading Carter to add a piece and then opening up a spot for Westbrook.

I don't know why the current regime is so down on Carter, you have to imagine Christie hasn't given a vote of confidence either. There must be more going on behind the scenes or off the court?

To drudge up an old acronym from the past (formerly applied to Tyreke Evans) -- it's probably that they see Carter as naPG (not a Point Guard) and they're thinking short-term positional need rather than long-term development. I'm naF (not a Fan) of this approach -- but you all know that by now. :)
 
Was Lauri hurt last year? His numbers dropped off pretty hard. If he just hit the wall at 27 and he's on the way down, then this would be a massive error. If he comes back to form, it would balance out the roster a bit - but as you said, not really provide help on D, and be pretty costly, both in terms of $$$ and giving away two firsts + DC. Lauri at a discount would be worth that package, but Lauri at full price might not be.
oh I didn't notice the picks included, I don't like that deal with two firsts
 
To drudge up an old acronym from the past (formerly applied to Tyreke Evans) -- it's probably that they see Carter as naPG (not a Point Guard).
I do understand that sure. And it does sort of reinforce frustrations about bringing in Zach, who I don't hate as much as many, but just is eating up a lot of cap space and plays the same spot we already had a massive logjam in.

I will admit though, Monk's complete lack of value is confusing to me given his contract doesn't seem horrible, especially given some really horrid overpays for guys straddling the bust-line.
 
I do understand that sure. And it does sort of reinforce frustrations about bringing in Zach, who I don't hate as much as many, but just is eating up a lot of cap space and plays the same spot we already had a massive logjam in.

I will admit though, Monk's complete lack of value is confusing to me given his contract doesn't seem horrible, especially given some really horrid overpays for guys straddling the bust-line.

I suspect schadenfreude on the Monk front. A lot of teams would probably love to have him if the salary details could be worked out. But they're not going to admit that so long as they can get away with trashing his value publicly. Though his 3pt shooting % moving in the wrong direction the last 3 years in a row could legitimately have tanked some of his trade value.
 
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