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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Charles Curtis

5 teams (the Clippers!) who should sign Russell Westbrook if the Jazz buy him out post-Lakers trade

Russell Westbrook is on his way out of Los Angeles and is headed to … the Utah Jazz.

Yes, the same Jazz who appear to be tanking after the blockbuster deal that sent Mike Conley to the Minnesota Timberwolves and Jarred Vanderbilt and Malik Beasley to the Lakers.

So the immediate conclusion everyone made was: There’s probably no way the Jazz hang on to Westbrook. They could buy him out and pave the way for him to join a team he’d like to sign with.

And that brings us to a few pretty good options for the veteran star point guard who struggled to fit in with the Lakers:

1
Los Angeles Clippers

The obvious choice. They need a point guard, desperately. And the fit on the team is pretty ideal:

For a contender like the Clips, this would work.

2
Miami Heat

Assuming they move Kyle Lowry — and there’s A LOT of chatter about that happening — this is a pretty good option too.

The Heat have shooters and tough defenders who can switch. Westbrook could have the room to maneuver and dish to a team that could use the help at the point.

3
Washington Wizards

Hey, this worked pretty well the last time Westbrook was a Wizard!

The Wizards could make a run to the play-in with him, Bradley Beal, Kyle Kuzma and Kristaps Porzingis. Given that the team is still stuck in the middle of the NBA pack — never the best spot when you either want to be really good or really bad — they might as well pick up the phone.

4
Chicago Bulls

No, really, they’re interested!

Another team that could use the help if they want in on the play-in or playoffs. It feels crowded to me with Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan on the roster, but if this is an option for a few months … why not?

5
Brooklyn Nets*

(AP Photo/Alonzo Adams, File)

As much as I’d like to see this reunion above, the asterisk is there for a reason: Maybe Brooklyn would be interested if the Nets shock everyone and trade KD.

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