3 NBA teams that need Russell Westbrook on their roster for the 2026-27 season

The franchise is already looking to the future, drafting Darius Acuff Jr. to be their long-term franchise point guard. They released DeMar DeRozan and seem to be playing out the rest of Zach LaVine and Domantas Sabonis‘ contracts until their trade value is boosted.

The Kings’ dysfunctional season has left Westbrook in the cold, as the 37-year-old guard remains unsigned in free agency.

Let’s take a look at the best possible destinations for Westbrook this summer.

Sacramento Kings

The most obvious destination would be to return to the Kings. Westbrook was well-liked by the fanbase for his constant effort on the court, even in a losing season.

He was also considered a great locker room mentor for the young players on the roster, so bringing him back as a mentor for Acuff might be a great move.

The Kings are reportedly considering Westbrook and Victor Oladipo as signings to have a veteran backcourt player to help Acuff, so there’s a clear role for Russ. However, it might be too much for Westbrook to spend another season on a rebuilding team, especially if he’s asked to come off the bench for Acuff.

Re-signing with the Kings could help him make himself a viable midseason acquisition for a contender, if no contenders are already looking for Westbrook to sign.

He’s left past destinations because he felt unappreciated. The Kings clearly appreciate Westbrook as a mentor, but they might not want him to monopolize guard minutes ahead of Acuff, who Sacramento hopes can be their future franchise superstar.

Miami Heat

The Miami Heat have a clear need for a point guard, with a lackluster guard rotation with Davion Mitchell and Dru Smith as the best options. Westbrook is a veteran floor general and is still one of the best passers in the NBA. He could organize an already-clunky Heat offense by helping Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo find the spots they’re most effective.

Westbrook can’t do much to address Miami’s three-point shooting problems, outside of a promise not to skip attempts. That’s a pretty big deal, as many players are also scared to shoot, and Westbrook has progressively improved his outside shooting over the last few seasons.

Westbrook’s personality seems like a perfect fit for Heat Culture, as he will not be afraid to hold Giannis or Adebayo accountable during the season.

There is great merit to a Westbrook signing by the Heat, both on and off the court. It’s a low-risk move, as the Heat could simply release him and look elsewhere if the fit turns out to be too incongruent with three non-shooters on the court.

Charlotte Hornets

The best destination for Westbrook this offseason is one that’s barely been mentioned by anyone. The Charlotte Hornets traded away their point guard, LaMelo Ball, this summer and currently rely on Coby White and Tre Mann to shoulder ball-handling responsibilities.

White can easily handle that, but the Hornets will hope to finally return to the Playoffs led by their wing-scoring duo of Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel. Westbrook’s playmaking prowess would enhance their production while allowing the Hornets to have some continuity from the creation they received from Ball.

Westbrook is a great stop-gap signing as the Hornets move away from the point guard being the No. 1 option to their wings. Westbrook can give them the on-ball creation they lost with Ball while hoping to temper his shot-making desires.

The Hornets can also create the perfect five-out unit to maximize Westbrook’s creation as a drive-and-kick passer to open shooters.

Westbrook would also be a fantastic veteran leader to have in the young Hornets locker room, as the franchise has been a huge proponent of building the right locker room culture as well.