“It’s Clear”: The Only Reason Why Warriors Don’t Dare to “Send” Buddy Hield Away!
The Sacramento Kings remain a prominent team in speculation surrounding Jonathan Kuminga this offseason, with the future of the young Golden State Warriors forward still no closer to reaching a solution.
Yet if surging rumors of Sacramento’s other moves are anything to go by, they’re aligning things as if a Kuminga trade will go down rather than the 22-year-old remaining in a marraige of conveniece at the Warriors.
The Kings are reportedly after former MVP Russell Westbrook
The Kings are reportedly the leading suitor for unrestricted free agent Russel Westbrook, yet it makes little sense without one or multiple trades also taking place. Having already signed former Warrior Dennis Schroder earlier in free agency, Westbrook could now be the latest guard added to the roster according to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon on Tuesday.
“League sources consider the Sacramento Kings the most likely destination for Westbrook, who will turn 37 during the first month of the season. If that’s the case, Westbrook would likely come off the bench again and share ball-handling duties with free agency addition Dennis Schroder,” MacMahon wrote.
The link to Westbrook is comical at best and awful at worst based on Sacramento’s current roster, with the guard positions already loaded with Schroder, Zach LaVine, Malik Monk, Keon Ellis and Devin Carter. Even if you want to classify Schroder as the only pure point guard in that group, the added presence of DeMar DeRozan and Domantas Sabonis means Westbrook is going to get very little on-ball opportunity.
It only starts to make remnants of sense if at least one of the currently contracted guards are traded, with Monk the most likely to be moved given trade speculation has accompanied his name throughout the offseason.
If the Sacramento Kings don’t trade for Jonathan Kuminga, I don’t think they will sign Russell Westbrook.
They’ve been connected to him for months, but signing Russ doesn’t make much sense given the current state of the Kings’ roster.
I could be wrong, that’s just my opinion. pic.twitter.com/WlfERtdZgo
— E Train Talks Sports (@ETrainSports) August 11, 2025
Mood:
Kings have an opportunity to sign Triple-Double Gawd Russell Westbrook!!!
Kings have to give away either Devin Carter or Malik Monk to acquire him* pic.twitter.com/76EnRmG3JO
— LaVineMuse (@LavineMuse08) July 29, 2025
The Kings continue to be linked to Russell Westbrook, even though they have a logjam at the guard spots.
Schroder – Westbrook – Carter
LaVine – Monk- Ellis
Something has to give if this signing happens.
— Frankie Cartoscelli (@FCartoscelli3) August 11, 2025
The Kings initially offered up Carter, Dario Saric and two second-round picks to the Warriors for Kuminga, but that’s since moved up to Monk and a lottery-protected first-round pick which was also rejected.
In an ideal world for Sacramento, there’s little doubt they would like to trade one or both of Carter and Monk, land Kuminga, and finish their offseason by signing Westbrook. Adding two non-spacing threats in Kuminga and Westbrook is incredibly questionable in itself, but it makes a little more sense than simply adding the former MVP to their current glut of guards.
The Kings are moving in a way that suggest Kuminga will eventually land with them, but the ball is still in the hands of the Warriors who are hoping to retain the former seventh overall pick, even if it’s just to trade him at a later date.