What’s Really Going On with Russell Westbrook and the Sacramento Kings | Locked On Kings

What’s Really Going On with Russell Westbrook and the Sacramento Kings | Locked On Kings

the Russell Westbrook to the Sacramento Kings. Rumors are heating up again. And on this mini episode of Locked on Kings, I’ll share with you what I’ve heard about the continued mutual interest between both parties and what the Sacramento Kings are looking to do first before they bring the former MVP in. It’s all right here on Locked on Kings. You are Locked on Kings, your daily Sacramento Kings podcast, part of the Locked On podcast network. Your team every day. And now, ladies and gentlemen, it is that time. Time for another episode of Locked On Kings. Hello and welcome to Locked On Kings, your podcast hub for Sacramento Kings coverage all off season long. My name is Matt George. I have the privilege of being your host here. I’m a Sacramento sports anchor and reporter for ABC 10 News and I’m fresh off the golf course. I had the privilege of being able to play in Bobby Jackson, of course, longtime Sacramento king, former sixman of the year, now back as an assistant coach under Doug Christie here in Sacramento. Bobby Jackson, his foundation, they hold a uh a golf tournament every single year and I had the privilege of being able to uh to play in it today. I’m a little bit sunburned. My group in a scramble format. We shot one under, which is fantastic for me, but in a scramble, not so good. Needless to say, we didn’t come close to winning, but it was a fantastic event. Uh the Bobby Jackson Foundation and and everybody around the event did a phenomenal job. And and while I was out there actually like you want to talk about pressure, Bobby and Doug Christie were in a golf cart together and their group was right behind my group. So half the time I’m teeing off and Bobby and Doug are watching and uh needless to say I probably did not uh impress them too much. Um I did have a fun moment where uh I left one of my wedges on the green or by the green on on one of the holes. It was like very early, very beginning of the tournament. We got off to a rough start. By the way, it would have been better for me just to chuck that wedge away. Bobby was nice enough to pick it up and and drive it all the way out to us on the next hole. But of course, he and Doug are in the golf cart. Bobby’s asking whose wedge it is. I was like, “Oh, the crap. That’s that’s my wedge.” And Doug turns to me and I can’t say it on this podcast, but Doug goes, “Lock the f in.” So, I got a little bit of coaching uh from uh from head coach Doug Christie on the golf course. And I played better after that. I actually had my first solo birdie in years. So, I’m going to credit Doug Christiey’s coaching and Bobby Jackson’s kindness uh for that. But that’s not what you care about. You care about the Russell Westbrook stuff. Uh it started picking up steam again as a um an account on so on Twitter or I guess what is it X now? Uh called Report. and Re is apparently a national NBA insider um reported or said that after weeks of ongoing dialogue since the start of free agency, former NBA MVP Russell Westbrook is expected to land with the Sacramento Kings League. Sources say his agent Jeff Schwarz has remained in consistent communication with Kings officials throughout the process. And even before this, betting odds came out that named the Sacramento Kings as the favorite to land Russell Westbrook. Now, as soon as Kings fans got hold of this tweet, it kind of just became a okay, like when’s the Sham’s tweet dropping, Matt? Is this true? Like, is it happening? When’s the announcement? When’s the press conference? Russell Westbrook to the Sacramento Kings. And of course, a lot of people had negative reactions to it, too. And of course, I did some followup. I did some digging. And I’m not saying that AR’s report isn’t true. In fact, a lot of this stuff we’ve already known, especially like the weeks of ongoing dialogue since the start of free agency, like I shared with you on day one of free agency, that Russell Westbrook and the Sacramento Kings were in in constant communication that there’s a very significant interest between both parties to have the former MVP come here uh and and play for the Sacramento Kings. And I do understand completely if there are league sources who believe that it’s going to happen. It’s only a matter of time. In fact, I would I would say that if like I I would say the Sacramento Kings and Russell Westbrook, like they want to get this deal done. They want to work together. They want Russ uh to be in a Kings jersey next season, but there’s still the there’s still the process of actually getting that done because again, this interest has been there forever. If the Kings could do it or felt like they could do it, they probably would have already done it by now. It would have been a done deal. So again, I’m not saying that Ari’s report is wrong. I just still think we’re waiting on the same things that we’ve been waiting for for weeks, which is two things in particular. Number one, the Sacramento Kings have a tremendous log jam at their guard position, right? I don’t know if I need to go through the names, but you have Dennis Shruder now as your starting point guard. You have Devin Carter, who got an opportunity as a backup point guard in summer league. You have, of course, Zack Lavine, Demar D Rozan, Malik Monk. You might even want to throw Nick Clifford in there if you want to if Nick’s going to get some opportunity as a ball handler, although I’ I’d slot him more probably as like a wing, a 23 right now than a one two. But you could throw him into that mix. Regardless, there’s a lot of spots taken up on this roster already by guards. And to just bring in Russell Westbrook, to just bring in another guard and add him into that that log jam just makes things muddier, makes things worse, make things makes things more difficult. The other part is Sacramento Kings don’t have a lot of run of money. They don’t have cap flexibility. They don’t have much space at all right now. So they’re very limited on how much money they can offer and how much money they can absorb into the the salary cap. So both of these factors weigh into what I was told when I inquired about, hey, is is this Russell Westbrook stuff picking up steam again? Is it close? And essentially what I was told was kind of the same thing that I’ve been told for weeks. Yeah, the Kings are interested, but before they could do that, something else has got to happen. In particular, the Kings would like to trade one at least of Devin Carter or Malik Monk. Now, these two names, with the exception of Jonas Valenunis, who of course has already been traded, these two names have been the most clear and obvious names on the trading block for the Sacramento Kings this entire summer. Since Scott Perry took over, both these names have been on the block. They’ve been available. And both are for very different reasons. Devin Carter does not fit on this team. He just doesn’t. Right. If if Scott Perry and the Kings don’t feel that Devin Carter can be a backup point guard in this league for this team, he does not have a spot here. There’s just no way theoretically that he gets any sort of consistent playing time. I I mean, Nick Clifford is going to get more opportunity than Devin Carter, even if Devin Carter was a lottery pick, a very late lottery pick, but a lottery pick nonetheless, and Nick Clifford was taken 24th overall. One, because Nick is Scott Perry’s draft pick, and two, Nick is is bigger and I think more has more of an established skill set. Devin Carter has a lot of question marks. He was against the eightball, a lot of stuff that’s not his fault. But the reality of the situation here with this Kings roster is that Devin Carter as of right now is more on the outs than he’s in. And we talked about this a lot during summer league. Devin Carter’s path to consistent playing time was the backup point guard position. He knew it. Everybody knew it. That’s why Devin has devoted a lot of his summer to working on the point guard game and trying to learn the point guard game at an NBA level, which is extremely difficult to do. So, I don’t necessarily blame him, but I think he and the Kings look at this situation as, yeah, it’s not the best fit for Deon Carter. So, I think the Kings would like to move on from Devon because he is a former lottery pick. There is still the allure of the unknown and hey, he hasn’t gotten much of a fair shot, but if I take him into my system, I can turn Devin Carter into the into the lottery pick that Monty McNair believe he had when he drafted him last year. There’s that. And then there’s the Malik Monk side. And Malik Monk, I think, is a completely different circumstance. The Kings are not just trying to dump Malik Malik Monk. They know Malik Monk has talent, but Malik’s is more long-term financial, right? Right now, Malik this upcoming season is making $18 million. The following year, he’ll make, I think, around 20. The year after that, he has around a $22 million player option. Look at what the Sacramento Kings are trying to do timelinewise. And that’s why Russell Westbrook is really important in in his fit in this, too. Scott Perry has a couple of fat contracts on this roster that are not going to be easy to get rid of. The mo most noticeable one is Zack Lavine. Well, Lavine has two years left on his deal. Demard Rosen doesn’t have nearly as much money as Lavine, but D Rozan has two years left on his deal. Demand Sabonis has more than two years left on his deal, but not a whole lot more. And he’s another fat contract that the Kings are dealing with. So essentially Scott Perry is looking at this roster and what he inherited and looking at the next two years and going I’m I’m kind of stuck. So when you like financially it’s going to be difficult for me to move on from these guys. It’ll be easier I think next summer compared to this summer when there’s only one year left on both of those deals and two years left I think on Sabonis’ deal. But still it’s not not the most ideal. So, he’s looking at Malik Monk and going, “I got three years of Malik under contract because you best believe Malik is going to exercise that $22 million player option.” I don’t think Malik will get that money again, especially with the way the market is now in the NBA, the scared money in the aprons. Like, I don’t think Malik is is getting $22 million ever again, unless he somehow explodes and takes his game to another level, which I suppose is possible. So, the Kings are not just looking to dump Malik Monk and trade Malik Monk. They know he has value because he is a good player, a potential sixman of the year candidate, of course, but they’re also trying to get off of the long-term financial commitment. And those final couple years of Malik’s deal, that final player option year of Malik’s deal, that’s one of the major reasons why Malik’s market has been so barren, because teams are again scared money. They’re afraid to invest too much into these kind of middle-of the road players, especially with how expensive the stars are at the top and how scary the apron system is to all these teams right now and how punishing the aprons are to teams who who cross those thresholds. So that and if we’re being honest, like Malik Monk does not fit the defensive, I think identity that the Sacramento Kings are trying to build and trying to establish. I don’t think they’re going to establish it next year. So, it’s not the end of the world if Malik Monk is still on this team next year, which I still think is more than likely to happen. But, I think the Kings would be more than willing to move on from Malik Monk. They’ve shown that they’re definitely more than willing to move on from Devin Carter. And they feel they probably, in fact, they pretty much know at this point they have to move on from one of the two of those guys to be able to bring Russell Westbrook in. So, we’re at we’re like, you talk about a stalemate, the Kings are in multiple stalemates. They’re in a stalemate with the general trade market as there’s very little interest in Devin Carter and a lot of fear when it comes to Malik Monk’s contract. And then they’re in, of course, a stalemate with the Golden State Warriors in this Jonathan Kaminga situation and a sign and trade of which of course Devin Carter is known to be a part of that offer. And Malik Monk’s name was floated out there, but the Warriors were not interested in Malik Monk and his contract. So, we’re all in the same spot. Now, some of you who do not like the idea of Russell Westbrook, maybe this is music to your ears because it’s, I don’t think, any closer today as it was a couple weeks ago. Those of you who want Russell Westbrook, I’m sorry to kind of burst your bubble a little bit. I still think, again, both parties want to get a deal done, and I do think the Kings should be the betting favorite, but the Kings have to find a way to move on from one of those two guys, it sounds like, in order to get that deal done. And again, from what I understand, there is no reasonable realistic market for either of them. And even if you’re not the biggest believer in the world in Devin Carter, you know, you you probably shouldn’t just dump last year’s lottery pick for nothing, even if it wasn’t your pick and you’re being, of course, Scott Perry. So, that’s where we’re at. That’s where we’re at with the Russell Westbrook situation. That’s where we’ve been at. We’ll see if things change, but again, I’ve been told there’s no reason to really believe anything is going to happen in terms of Russ signing with the Kings until one of those two guys is traded or or the Kings do something else to open up that roster spot and relieve a little bit of that financial stress and that log jam at the guard position. Why would the Sacramento Kings go out and get Russell Westbrook? Well, like I said, I think they view Russ as someone who can help kill two birds with one stone. I don’t necessarily fully agree with this, but this is what I believe the thinking is. For the next two years, financially, you’re kind of stuck. So, for the next two years, it’s about maximizing your ability to be competitive and win and sell tickets right now while also bringing in guys to help establish that culture and build that foundation for the next two years that the young guys can then inherit. And when those big contracts come to an end and the Kings kind of get a soft reset in that way, Scott Perry can really get to work to add on to that foundation that veterans like Demard Rosen and Russell Westbrook and Demand Sabonis and Zack Lavine, I guess, helped build. That’s what makes sense to me. Again, I don’t know if that’s the greatest plan in the world, but again, Scott Perry inherited a mess. He inherited a mess. Scott Perry never would have made the Zack Lavine De’arren Fox trade. never. So, he’s those are the cards he’s dealt and he’s trying to put together a plan to to figure it out. And Russell Westbrook seems to be a part of that plan, assuming he can do what he needs to do in order to bring Russell Westbrook into the fold. Before we wrap up this mini podcast, want to let you know that this episode is brought to you by 5Hour Energy. 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If you go to 5ourenergy.com today, that is the number five hourgy.com. You can use promo code locked ongolf to receive 20% off your order. This offer only valid until September 30th on one order and cannot be used with other promotions. The code is not good on subscription orders as well. Whether you’re meeting up with friends or trying to turn 18 holes into 36, get the energizing boost you need to power through. Order transfusion favored 5-hour energy shots today. Again, shout out to Five Hour Energy and shout out to you. Now, I want to hear from you. Your thoughts on this Russell Westbrook circumstance and like like do you want to see the Kings bring in Russ? Are you for it? Are you against it? Why? And out of the two of Devin Carter, Malik Monk, who would you rather the Kings move on from? It’s far more likely, I think, that the Kings move on from Devon than Malik because of the market. But I also don’t think Deon really has a market. So, we’ll see what happens. But, hit me up on Twitter. You can email me [email protected] and of course leave your thoughts in the YouTube comment section down below. Now I’m going to go cool off, take a shower, and of course we’ll see if anything happens on this Russell Westbrook, Jonathan Kamingo or any other Sacramento Kings front as we get through the driest part of this NBA offseason. Appreciate you. Can’t wait to have you join me on the next episode of Locked On Kings. Until then, my name is Matt George. You’ve been listening to the Locked on Kings podcast, part of the Locked On podcast network.

Matt George shares the latest he’s heard after rumors of the Sacramento Kings signing Russell Westbrook have started heating up again.

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What’s Really Going On with Russell Westbrook and the Sacramento Kings
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