Russell Westbrook Talking With Clippers; Has Communicated With Bulls, Wizards, Heat

By
Sam Amico
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The Clippers and Russell Westbrook have begun talks on the possibility of the veteran guard joining the team should he agree to a buyout with the Jazz, per Shams Charania and Law Murray of The Athletic.Russell Westbrook

Westbrook, 34, was traded to the Jazz from the Lakers at the deadline last week, and is said to still be deciding on his next destination. The Jazz reportedly would agree to buy out his contract if he were seeking such an arrangement, and have given him permission to speak to the Clippers, Charania and Law added.

Along with the Clippers, Westbrook and agent Jeff Schwartz have communicated with the Bulls, Wizards and Heat, per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. 

Earlier this week, Wojnarowski suggested the possibility exists that Westbrook could just stay with the Jazz until entering free agency this offseason, though that scenario is looking less likely.

For starters, Clippers forward Paul George has made a public plea for Westbrook to consider the the Clippers. The two were once teammates with the Thunder.

Along with that, Bulls coach Billy Donovan has reportedly made a pitch to Westbrook, the two being familiar from their days together in Oklahoma City as well.

“I was told Billy Donovan with the Bulls, his message has been relayed to Russ, that Chicago should be the place for him,” Bleacher Report’s Chris Haynes said on the This League Uncut podcast with Marc Stein of The Stein Line. “So I don’t know. I don’t know if they’ve talked extensively. I don’t know if it was a text. But I was told (Donovan’s) message has been relayed to Russ, that Chicago should be the place.”

Westbrook has also spent a season already with Bradley Beal and the Wizards.

All of that said, Westbrook isn’t expected to make a final decision on his next stop until after the All-Star Break, which begins Friday and lasts until Feb. 23.

Westbrook averaged 15.9 points, 7.5 assists and 6.2 rebounds in 52 games with the Lakers, coming off the bench in all but three. He shot 42 percent from the field, but just under 30 percent on 3-pointers.

His entire tenure in his hometown of Los Angeles was considered a major flop, though not all of that can be pinned on Westbrook. And from the sounds of things, staying in LA is not out of the question.

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