The Pros & Cons of Sacramento signing Russell Westbrook

The Pros & Cons of Sacramento signing Russell Westbrook

here in the sizes and the impact. All right. Um, yesterday you may have seen a couple of things released uh regarding the Sacramento Kings and the schedule. Uh, we do know that the Kings will um have the schedule fully released on Thursday. That’s for the for the certainty, but according to some they are reporting um a couple different dates that were out there. According to some sources, the Kings will open up their season on Wednesday, October 22nd. in Phoenix against the Suns. Again, these aren’t official, but this is according to sources. Uh the Kings home opener will be uh on that Friday, the 24th against the Utah Jazz. And then uh already their first match up with the Lakers reportedly is going to be on Sunday, October 26. But again, all of the schedule will be released on Thursday. There’s been a few more leaks out there regarding uh some more, you know, Martin Luther King Day games. um opening night, the first double head, you know, there’s that stuff will slowly start to trickle out, but uh we should wait to expect to see uh the full schedule in its entirety released on Thursday. Now, uh news regarding the Kings. Let’s let’s tell you what we do know and what we can share about uh reports that we heard yesterday about Russell Westbrook. Now, Westbrook and the Kings have been talked about for a while. little bit like when we were hearing all the reports about Dennis Shruder, then it became official. The Kings went and signed Dennis Shruder. Um, let let me first start with what we believe to know about Russell Westbrook and the Kings. Um, I’m sure the Kings are interested. They are interested. I think Westbrook would be interested. Westbrook still wants to play. I think at the moment currently the way the roster is constructed without any movement, without any other guards being traded or moved, um I don’t think Westbrook makes any sense. And I think the Kings already have a log jam in the back court. So another player that can play and help you, sure, yes, you could take that, but I don’t I don’t think it makes sense at the moment. So when you try to connect the dots, the Kings, I believe, are still interested in Jonathan Kaminga. You know, there’s the Warriors are being patient. The Warriors are waiting. Maybe the Warriors will never make that move. Okay. Well, if that is a move that never happens, which we were under the belief that if the Kings are going to somehow get in the Kaminga sweep stakes, it’s going to likely cost them a draft pick andor someone or multiple people from their back court. Well, if that part happens, if if part A happens, then I think part B being Westbrook makes more sense. If part A doesn’t happen, I don’t think Westbrook makes any sense. Um, now, if there’s something else that, you know, we’re not even we’re paying attention to Kaminga and some other deal happens, I think Westbrook makes sense again if the Kings are moving out from a guard. So, let’s talk about the merits of Russell Westbrook on on why the King should even be remotely interested. Westbrook to me is a tricky player because what I like about Russell Westbrook without a doubt is the passion, the fire, the drive that he plays with. He has consistently played hard his entire career. It’s never a thing like, oh, he’s phoning it in. He’s not um he’s not giving it his all out on the court. Russell Westbrook has one gear and that’s with all out abandonment on the court. Like that guy plays intensely. He just does. There’s an intensity to them that you can’t deny that I appreciate that I like that you can watch other NBA players and you go, man, imagine if they had the motor of Russell Westbrook. That to me certainly is a pro is a strength of Russell Westbrook. Experience would be a strength. Um, his ability to to make plays. I mean, he’s he’s a good basketball player. These are all things that would suggest why Scott Perry would even be remotely interested in Russell Westbrook. Let’s imagine a a backcourt player or two no longer on the Kings and Westbrook is in camp. I’m telling you, he’s going to push Dennis Shruder. I don’t think he would be the starter. I think by optics and by the signing and by the contract they want it to be Shruder, but I think Russell Westbrook at times in certain games will be like, man, he’s the better point guard today. These are all pros of Russell Westbrook. Now, I don’t want to be naive to say there aren’t cons because there are. The biggest con right now would be adding him to this roster of of a log jam in the back court. So under the premonition that the Kings and Russell Westbrook only make sense if the Kings remove at least one guard or two from their backcourt mix. So under that premonition, let’s go over what I think are some of the cons. I think Russell Westbrook at times has also been an enigma on teams where he can be frustrating in a sense of look when he’s been one of the best players in this league, he’s been an MVP. He’s at least he’s already gone through the fact that he’s been a bench player. I don’t know that Russell Westbrook is going to come here and expect to start like other proven longtime players like Westbrook have. Like I remember when Carmemelllo Anthony first went to OKC. I think he I remember very well he had that press conference and someone asked him about coming off the bench and he basically laughed at the reporter like do you know who I am? I’m Carmelo Anthony. I don’t come off the bench. Well, at some point, are you trying to help the team or are you trying to just help yourself? So, I don’t think Westbrook has fought that to this point. I mean, look, he came off the bench for Denver. He came off the bench for the Clippers, uh, for the Lakers, too. So, it’s it’s you know, the Kings wouldn’t be the first team he’s going through that cycle with. So, that part I’m okay with. But the cons on Westbrook, um, his shooting ability has not been a great shooter in his career. I think when he gets to a spot like that foul line, foul line extended, stop and pop, he’s effective there. But the three-pointers, it’s kind of close your eyes and hope they go in. Um, he’s not been that consistent there. His ability to attack the basket hasn’t slowed down. His ability to pl to play above the rim to be another good rebounding guard. Um a willing passer. Um I think if the Kings want to implement a fullcourt pressure defense, I think he can help with that off the bench, you know, in in minutes that hey look, you’re going to play eight straight minutes here. Go bring it with an intensity that not many people in the NBA can match. So, I I can see a lot of the positives of the pursuit of West Russell Westbrook. The concerns would be um I’ve seen at times him um you know, timeouts have gone on on the floor and he’s sitting at the end of the bench when everybody else is in the huddle. I don’t know if there’s a being upset, pouting. I don’t know. I I I don’t know what happened in some of those situations when he’s been on other teams. Um, he is a guy that I don’t think would cost a lot of money. I think is a guy that still wants to play. I think would play hard. So, I I can see probably a few more positives than negatives, but the biggest one right now present day, and I think it’s backed up by a few sources within the team, that they’re not in a dire need to get Russell Westbrook. I think it was ESPN’s Tim McMahon that said the Kings were the front runners for him and they might be. But barring any changes to the Kings roster, specifically the back court, I don’t think Russell Westbrook’s going to be a king. Now, he could be if they make those changes. And if we’re waiting on it just to be Jonathan Kaminga, that’s going to be a while if the Kings are even players in this. I know they would like to be But you’ve got to have one, a willing participant in the Golden State Warriors. Two, um, you know, there’s a timeline here and I don’t think there’s any sense of urgency just yet. I mean, it’s August what? 12th. Season doesn’t start tomorrow. There’s still some time here, but ideally, you would like to have your roster constructed in time for camp so that Doug Christie beginning his first full year as head coach can know exactly what he’s dealing with, can know exactly what he wants as a plan for his rotation. And then you get to camp and you see if it’s backed up and supported. You still also have to leave room for people to play their way into the rotation, play their way out of the rotation. But the other part of the Kings interest in Westbrook to me, I mean, this was even when they were looking at Shruder as well before they had signed him, I thought, wow, they don’t have what we would call a true point guard, though there are people that can play point guard on the team. And I thought, look, if you’re looking at Dennis Shruder, I like him, but I thought there were some other point guards they could be looking at. I I was all for the competition element of this. And I’m telling you, Westbrook and Shruder are going to Shruder’s going to, excuse me, Westbrook’s going to compete and push him and make him earn that spot. Now, he may be given that spot, but he’s gonna have to earn it because Westbrook’s going to, like I tell you, is going to play so hard and compete. Now, you’re not always going to get the best results there. I wish his jump shot was more consistent and more reliable. Um, but he still has the speed, still has the drive, still has the I mean, he’s a great athlete, and I think the Kings, that’s an area they’ve been lighted on for a couple years. I mean, they’ve they have some decent athletes, but they’re not the most athletic team in the league. This team has been missing for years long armed wings and Westbrook isn’t the entirety of that answer, but he’s going to help in the athletic department if if they go down that road. So, I’d be curious from you guys on the chat, yay or nay on Westbrook at all. Um 9163391140 is the text line and certainly on our YouTube chat you can weigh in on that. Um let’s see. 916 says Westbrook is not a team player. It’s all about him. He plays hard, but it’s all about his ego and proving that he still has it. It’s more about him proving his doubters wrong and nothing to do with his helping the team. It’s a hard pass. Okay, I see it. That was again one of the concerns I had where I said, I’ve seen him at the end of a bench. I’ve seen him what appears to be pouting or or just not connected with the team at times. I don’t think that’s healthy at all. Um, but the playing hard, the proving doubters wrong, I, you know, sometimes even if that’s selfish behind it, the intentions behind it, it can still help the team. It can, it can also hurt the team. That’s a very fragile concept there. Um, but I see it. I see your point. point well taken as far as concerns on what he could be if he was brought in on the Sacramento Kings. But again, I have to reiterate, I do not see this happening at all unless the Kings clear up what currently is a log jam in the back court. Because as we speak, I still don’t know how Doug Christie is going to disperse the minutes. Let’s assume they don’t there’s not another change to this roster and you have Devin Carter, Keon Ellis, Malik Monk, Zack Lavine, Dennis Shruder, you could even argue Demar D Rozan all vying for backcourt minutes. Nick Clifford as well. Um, and that’s, you know, that’s not the entirety of the roster. There’s still other guys that are going to say, “Hey, look, what about me? What about my opportunity to to get in the rotation to impress the coach to show you what I can do?” Because if you look at the entirety of the roster, you still have some other guys that we are perceiving to be, you know, further down the rotation, but you don’t know. Like, um, Isaiah Stevens is a two-way guy. Dcoan Plowden 2A guy. I don’t know where they fit in between Monk and Lavine and Shruder and Carter and Ellis and D Rozan and N Clifford. I mean, that’s it’s too crowded. And you want depth and sometimes I think your depth can be um like I said, kind of the the lesser known guys that you’re in a pinch or a blowout or practice time or just, you know, spot minutes here and there. But when you’re talking about, you know, the core of the 82 games, the core of your minute distribution for your back court, and this gets back to kind of the issue I was talking about yesterday for the roster construction of this team, I think the Kings can put out a pretty def decent offensive lineup. Well, everything that Doug Christie has been saying, that Scott Perry has been saying, their alignment has been focusing on getting better defensively. Well, where does that fit in with Demar D Rozan and Zack Lavine? Russell Westbrook, think his athletic ability gives him a chance to be a decent a decent defender. He’s not a bad defender, not a great defender, but offensively, I still see more things this Kings team can do. Now, defensively, there are concerns. Grant, there should be. They haven’t been a very good defensive team for years. But when you’re looking at a guy like Devin Carter, I think that’s where right now his gifts are. Keon Ellis is a really good two-way player, but he’s a really good defensive player. Keegan Murray has shown some sides defensively and I think what you’re going to see and what everything they’re trying to do going forward is get people that are closer to two-way players. Harder to do but that’s what they’re going to try to do. I think there’s going to be expectations of Shruder to be picking up full court when Carter’s in when Ellis is in. Like these guys have to do that. Malik Monk I think of as a better offensive player than defensive player. So, it’s the mismatch of roster construction with positions and abilities that is going to be, I think, problematic to start the year for Doug Christie. So, if camp is about defense, defense, defense, and this is my guess, not not knowing for certain, they’re going to try to maximize what they can and just ring everything out of this towel that they can on this team defensively. I mean, there’s no way that they’re not playing Sabonis. I got to believe D. Frozen and Lavine are getting a a good amount of minutes, but those guys have got to find way and Malik got to find ways to defend at a level that makes it acceptable, I guess, and not just looking at, well, they’re so good offensively. Well, they weren’t that good offensively at times last year to overcome the inconsistencies on the defensive end. So that’s where I stand right now on Russell Westbrook. I could see the Kings pursuing him only if there’s a change in the back court. At least one name has to be out of there. At least one if not two. And you’re not cutting guys. This would be have to be in a trade. And the only trade that we we’re hearing the Kings rumored in is their pursuit of Jonathan Kaminga. So, if they’re pursuing him, I believe at least one of the guards would be gone. If they land him, then I could see Westbrook coming in. If they don’t, I you don’t have to take Westbrook. Um, I’m not interested in really cutting any of the guys they have. So, doesn’t make a lot of sense to me to get Westbrook without removing a guard. That’s the bottom line. So, any more thoughts from you guys at 9163391140? Uh, let’s see. Um, Westbrook would be another stop gap. That is not a long-term solution. We’re not winning the West this year. Save the money and develop the young talent. Not a bad philosophy. I could see a lot of people agreeing with that. Um, you know, you also have people that Scott Perry’s beginning a job. Doug Christiey’s beginning a job. And you’ve got an owner in VCron, which I believe wants to make the playoffs. I don’t think he’s wrong for that. I can see a lot of people out there saying, “Well, look, let’s let’s completely tank it and blow it up.” They they haven’t done that. They’re not doing that. So, can you get the most out of this group? I I I think it’s a I I I don’t know how many times I have to say it. I think it’s a really difficult position. I think they’re trying to thread a needle, which may be impossible to do, but may be possible, of developing young talent, finding some sort of core to build around over time, and maybe it’s some of the current guys, and all while staying competitive and winning as many games as possible. And why I think that’s for some they’ll go, they’ll never do it. They can’t do it. I see that. I understand that. But some teams have done it and you could argue the Kings did it a couple years ago trying to find a young core to develop around. It’s like, oh yeah, figuring out who this Keegan Murray guy is, while Fox and Sabonis were your your main weapons and they had Barnes and and Herder. I mean, it wasn’t like this all worldly team, but they put it together and had a nice season. Won 48 games and made the postseason. Um, let’s see. Uh, West even Sabonis can bring up the ball. True. Uh Jason, I believe having Westbrook on this team puts a great veteran who works hard in the locker room. The young guards could learn so much from having him around. That’s Joe from the 5-30. Uh put put Devin Carter and Keon Ellis back to Stockton until the trade is made to free up. I think you need to have Russell Westbrook and his experience. Well, I wouldn’t put Carter and Ellis to Stockton. Those two guys can play. I mean, at least Ellis. Ellis. Ellis is here. He belongs here. I think Carter defensively, I think he’s there. I really do. Watching him a lot last year, certainly in Vegas. I know it’s the summer league, but he’s physical. He’s a good rebounding guard. I to me Carter is more about his offense, uh, getting refined. To me, Ellis, it’s reps. I mean, I think Keon Ellis can start on this team. I really do. I have no problem with him coming off the bench, but I think if he was given those minutes, I think he would produce. I think people sleep on his offense, but his defense is good. All right. Well, some thoughts there on Russell Westbrook. The more we find out about that, the more we will pass along to you as uh as we go along. All right. are three through

Jason Ross goes through the pros & cons of the Sacramento Kings potentially signing free agent guard Russell Westbrook. Let us know in the comments if you think this would be a good move for the Beam Team.

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