Lakers Fans React to Russell Westbrook Report on Wednesday originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
After helping the Denver Nuggets make a solid playoff run, Russell Westbrook is available on the free agent market, and he might just find a new team. The latest rumors have indicated that the Sacramento Kings are interested in the former MVP.
While the Kings aren’t exactly championship contenders at the moment, ESPN’s Marc J. Spears revealed on NBA Today that Westbrook may join the Kings because of his current priorities as a player.
“One thing I know he wants to do is be closer to home,” Spears said. “The Kings are certainly interested in him. Sacramento, I think that might be a good spot for him.”
Westbrook is a Los Angeles native, so playing in Sacramento wouldn’t be too far away from home if he chose to sign there. Before joining the Nuggets, Westbrook had spent the last three years playing for the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers.
Following the news that Westbrook could join the Kings, Lakers fans urged him to go to their division rival. Or, at the very least, not re-join the Lakers.
Russell Westbrook wants his next team to be “closer to home” with his family residing in LA, per @MarcJSpears.
What team other than the Lakers should sign him😭
— Playoff LAL (@PlayoffLAL) July 2, 2025
“Any team but the Lakers. Let Warriors or Kings have him,” one wrote.
“The Lakers should NOT sign him,” another wrote. “Please not again.”
“Anywhere BUT the lakers,” one pleaded.
Not every fan necessarily agreed to that sentiment, as some approved of a Lakers reunion.
“Sign him on a vet min for a back up pg please he is not THAT bad,” one fan wrote.
“Russell Westbrook , you are a laker,” another wrote with a purple devil emoji.
Westbrook did not have the best tenure as a Laker. The team missed the playoffs in 2022 after acquiring him the prior offseason. After trading him during the following season’s trade deadline, the Lakers made it to the Western Conference Finals.
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This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 2, 2025, where it first appeared.