In any sports league, there are going to be players who get drafted to a certain team and then remain with that team for the entirety of their career. Then, there are players who, through trading, free agency, or just plain personal choices, will move around from one team to the next until they retire. Most times, this is done by certain “role players,” who move around to get the “best deal” and to try to win a championship with other teams. Yet, every once in a while, an all-star will do this route, and NBA 2K26 was more than happy to point out the latest destination for one such all-star.
That all-star is none other than Russell Westbrook. A man who has had one of the most unique, interesting, and confusing NBA careers you’ll ever find. As reported yesterday, the point guard is heading to the Sacramento Kings for the season. What happens with him once he’s there…? No one knows.
The reason we’re not hyping up this move by Russell is simple: he’s not exactly in his prime anymore. Just as important, while he is still a “quality enough” player, his lack of dominance, compared to his early years in the NBA, is part of the reason he keeps bouncing around.
Don’t believe us? His first eleven seasons in the NBA were legendary, as he was part of the newly minted Oklahoma City Thunder. There, he played many seasons with fellow all-stars Kevin Durant and James Harden. Even when the other two left, Westbrook was a force on the court, even setting NBA records, and he still has the most triple-doubles in NBA history.
However, after leaving the Thunder, he’s bounced around from one team to the next, never staying more than two seasons. He was even put on teams with other all-stars, including ending up back with James Harden at one point, and then getting paired with Lebron James, only for that to fizzle out, too.
While the Sacramento Kings aren’t exactly the “dregs” of the league, it’s not exactly believable that having Westbrook on the squad will instantly elevate them to contenders. The man is 36 years old, and his productivity is declining. Could he be good for them? Sure. But it’s not a guarantee.
NBA 2K26 will be an interesting gauge to see how Westbrook is actually doing, as the title likes to mimic the stats that the real-life players are doing. So only time will tell how this newest move will go.
