Stay in the NBA or go to China? Shams revealed that Westbrook and the Kings are interested in both directions. Where will the legend go?

On October 11, the career crossroads of NBA75 star Russell Westbrook once again made waves. Just as the news of "Chinese teams sending quadruple salary offers" is sweeping the league, the latest report from famous reporter Shams throws a twist - the 36-year-old legendary point guard and the Sacramento Kings are brewing a cooperation, and the continuation of the 18th season of his NBA career seems to have new possibilities.

The essence of this choice about the future is the collision of emotions and reality. The half-season contract in China previously revealed by Kings reporter Carmichael Dave has a salary that is almost four times what the Kings can offer. This is undoubtedly a very tempting option for Westbrook, who has not yet received a guaranteed NBA contract. But the inside story revealed by Shams on the show began to tilt the balance towards the NBA: "There is a strong two-way interest between Westbrook and the Kings. This is not a one-sided test."

The Kings' urgent needs have become a key thrust for cooperation. The Western Conference team's bench performance last season was dismal, with both bench points and bench assists ranking 29th in the league. The gap between offense and defense has become the biggest shortcoming restricting the team's progress. Westbrook is the ideal candidate to make up for this shortcoming - his career passing ability of 8 assists per game, coupled with his perennial competitive intensity, is the "catalyst" that the Kings' bench desperately needs.

More importantly, Westbrook and the Kings have already established a close emotional and interpersonal bond. He and the team's core insider Sabonis were teammates who fought side by side, and they are familiar with each other's tactical habits; he also has experience working with Schroeder in the backcourt rotation, and he can form a tacit understanding without additional running-in. Off the court, the presence of fellow Los Angeles natives DeRozan and LaVine helped him integrate into the team culture more quickly. His past interactions with new assistant general manager BJ Armstrong, as well as his respect for general manager Scott Perry and coach Doug Christie, made communication between the two parties smooth.

Regarding the value of Westbrook, former teammate Perkins's evaluation may express the aspirations of the Kings: "The most precious thing about him is not his data, but his ability to always inject vitality into the team." Perkins specifically mentioned that Westbrook has completed the transformation from "scorer" to "organizer" in recent years. During his time with the Nuggets last season, even head coach Michael Malone recognized his obvious improvement on the defensive end. This combination of experience, vitality and tactical adaptability is exactly what the rising Kings value.

However, there is still suspense regarding the timing of this signing. Sources within the league show that all parties are paying close attention to the progress of the negotiations. Shams also admitted frankly: "The signing may be reached before the start of the new season. If it is not finalized in time, there is still a chance to be completed during the season." This means that Westbrook still has to wait and weigh whether to accept the high-paying invitation from the Chinese team and continue his career in a new arena; or to stick to the NBA and use experience to add bricks to the Kings' road to the championship.

Looking back at Westbrook's NBA career, from the four-time triple-double creator during the Thunder era, to the 2017 regular season MVP, to nine-time All-Stars and nine-time All-NBA honors, he has already written a legend with his explosiveness and tenacity. Now, this point guard who has shown all-around talent since his rookie season is standing at an important fork in his career.

Chinese fans are looking forward to witnessing the legend at home, the Kings are eager to use his energy to activate the bench, and Westbrook himself may prefer to complete a decent farewell in the NBA. As the new season approaches, the decision between "staying" and "going away" has become the most talked about suspense in the global basketball world. No matter where he ends up, this player who always goes all out on the court will continue to write his own basketball story.