Major News Reveals Russell Westbrook Is Not Leaving The NBA

Russell Westbrook is still a free agent a little over a month before training camps start in the NBA. While there are rumors of him signing somewhere else, a new report debunked those rumors and said that if he returns to basketball, it would be with an NBA team. 

According to NBA insider Marc Stein, Westbrook will not be leaving the United States to play abroad. His insiders told him rumors, including the one linking him to a move to the EuroLeague with Hapoel Tel Aviv, are not true. 

“One source close to the process told The Stein Line that a recent report suggesting that Russell Westbrook was in talks to sign abroad with Hapoel Tel Aviv was ‘laughably false,’” Stein wrote in his most recent report.

It was doubled down by NBA insider Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints, who revealed that there had been no talks between Westbrook and the EuroLeague squad. 

“Amid rumors surrounding Russell Westbrook potentially discussing a deal with Israel’s Hapoel Tel Aviv, I do not believe that to be true,” Siegel said. “I’ve asked multiple people with different teams around the NBA if they’ve heard such and nobody has heard about this.”

Russell Westbrook Was Serviceable Last Year

GettyLOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 01: Russell Westbrook #18 of the Sacramento Kings controls the ball against the Los Angeles Lakers in the first half at Crypto.com Arena on March 01, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

Westbrook averaged 15.2 points, 6.7 assists, and 5.4 rebounds per game across 64 appearances last season with the Sacramento Kings, whose squad finished with one of the worst records in the NBA. 

Talks have been slow as teams weigh system fits and reserve roles, though a potential reunion with Sacramento remains a possibility if roster spots open up.

According to previous reports, the Kings are weighing a potential reunion with 37-year-old Russell Westbrook or signing 34-year-old Victor Oladipo. 

The franchise wants a veteran guard to serve as a mentor for prized rookie Darius Acuff Jr., whom Sacramento selected seventh overall in the 2026 NBA Draft.

The Kings are navigating a transition period focused on cap flexibility and youth, limiting their offers to veteran minimum deals.

Russell Westbrook Does Not Necessarily Want To Play With A Championship Contender

GettyPORTLAND, OREGON – APRIL 12: Russell Westbrook #18 of the Sacramento Kings looks on during a timeout in the first half against the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center on April 12, 2026 in Portland, Oregon. (Photo by Soobum Im/Getty Images)

Russell Westbrook kept it real in his exit interview with the Sacramento Kings next season. According to Westbrook, he wants to play with a team that wants him more than a team that has a shot at an NBA championship. 

“There’s so many different things that have to align for you to be able to win a championship in this league,” Westbrook said. “But sometimes you can be in the position, and it don’t work out. That’s it. So for me, it’s just being in a place where I’m wanted, having fun, enjoying the game. To me, that’s what’s important.”

Westbrook, who has played 18 seasons in the NBA, including an NBA year in 2017 with the OKC Thunder, has yet to win an NBA title. 

“I have a bunch of people that support (me) in my entire career, and also a bunch that don’t,” Westbrook said. “I think the combination of both and of my family, who have been in my corner throughout my career since Day 1, allows me to be able to keep going until I can’t no more.”

Westbrook is seen as one of the top free agents remaining in the market. 

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