by Greg Dudek
24 minutes ago
Russell Westbrook would have joined the Utah Jazz on Wednesday night, but he may not stay with his new team for long.
Westbrook, who was traded from the Los Angeles Lakers to the Jazz in a three-team deal, could work to pursue a buyout once the trade is complete. And there are apparently already teams lining up for the nine-time All-Star if he does indeed make it to the open market.
Chris Haynes, an NBA insider for TNT and Bleacher Report, reported shortly after the trade announcement that the Los Angeles Clippers And Chicago Bulls are interested in signing Westbrook.
So Westbrook might not leave Los Angeles after all if he ends up with the Clippers, which seems like a real possibility. The Athletic’s Law Murray reported, citing sources, that Westbrook has expressed interest to join the Clippers if he can secure a buyout.
The Clippers would be an odd fit for Westbrook since they already have a guard struggling to shoot John Wall. But Wall is injured at the moment and the Clippers could see Westbrook fill that void and bring a ton of energy to the bench – if he can accept the role.
The Clippers are also giving Westbrook a better chance than the Bulls to advance to the NBA Finals. The Clippers sit fourth in a wide-open Western Conference while the Bulls are currently a play team in the East.
If Westbrook wants to chase a ring, there’s no doubt the Clippers are a solid landing spot. But if Westbrook wants to go back to setting up stats, he could choose to go to Chicago.
