With Russell Westbrook's retirement, the Kings may turn their attention to Victor Oladipo as a veteran presence for Darius Acuff Jr.
The Sacramento Kings had a quiet offseason in free agency, parting ways with DeMar DeRozan and Devin Carter, while choosing to only add through the draft.
The recent news of Russell Westbrook's retirement means the Kings still have a roster spot available, which could be used to bring in a veteran guard to mentor Darius Acuff Jr.
I recently looked at both Westbrook and former NBA All Star Victor Oladipo as two potential options to fill this role.
With Westbrook reportedly turning down an offer from Sacramento, signing Oladipo becomes more likely.
On Thursday, Oladipo joined Yahoo Sports Daily where he addressed the rumors about he and the Kings.
"I think there’s some interest there. And the feeling is mutual," Oladipo said.
ESPN Kings Insider James Ham confirmed that Sacramento had Oladipo in for a private workout earlier this week, showing that this intrigue is real.
Oladipo, a two-time All Star, dealt with brutal knee injuries which eventually forced him out of the league.
On Thursday, Oladipo talked about his comeback attempt and why he continues to push himself despite past NBA success.
"Its the fact that, you know, my journey has never been linear. My journey has never been in the status quo per se," Oladipo said. "And for me, I always am someone who wants to elevate over adversity, someone who wants to show people that, you know, even though things may come up and it might be dark times, you can find your a light within yourself and overcome that."
After bouncing around the NBA post-injury, Oladipo shined overseas in China, suiting up for the Guangzhou Loong-Lions.
He had his first taste of NBA gameplay for the first time in the past three years, playing in the Loong-Lions' preseason tour against league competition.
In three games against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Los Angeles Clippers, and San Antonio Spurs, Oladipo averaged 19.3 points per game, looking the part of an NBA player.
While Oladipo's production for an 82-game NBA season would remain to be seen, his experience in the playoffs and big games would be invaluable to players like Acuff, as the Kings look to return to winning ways.
Oladipo has played in big games throughout his NBA career, with the most notable being his first-round performance against LeBron James and the eventual Eastern Conference Champion Cleveland Cavaliers.
In a classic seven game affair, Oladipo kept the Indiana Pacers in the series with his play, averaging 22.7 points, 8.3 rebounds, six assists and 2.4 steals per game, leading his team in all of these categories by a large margin.
While this level of production is unrealistic for Oladipo going forward, his mentorship and veteran experience would be a big benefit for Acuff, who is a similar dynamic scorer to the former Pacers standout.
Getting Oladipo on a veteran minimum deal could be worth taking a flier.
