Natalia Chi
Report: Bulls interested in signing Russell Westbrook originally appeared nbc sports chicago
of chicago bulls According to Chris Haynes, he is interested in signing Russell Westbrook if he secures a buyout with the Utah Jazz.
On Wednesday, Westbrook was traded to the Utah Jazz in a three-team trade that saw D’Angelo Russell move to the Los Angeles Lakers.
If the Jazz buy out Westbrook’s contract, he will look for a new deal in the buyout market.Along with the Bulls, the Los Angeles Clippers are interested. According to another report, the Miami Heat are also interested.
For the Bulls, however, this trade requires some manipulation.
The Bulls currently have 15 salaries. According to NBC Sports Chicago’s KC Johnson, a deal with Westbrook would have to either fire the player or execute an imbalanced deal. The Clippers are former MVP points favorites on his guard.
Also, the Bulls are about $1.7 million below the luxury tax line. They need the needle of tying the Westbrook deal to a pro-rata deal, not over tax. The Bulls paid the luxury tax once in franchise history.
Westbrook can’t fix the Bulls’ three-point shooting problem. But his ability to rebound and always play with a high motor is a good fit.
To this day, Donovan raves about Westbrook’s professionalism, energy and desire to win when asked about the former point guard. Donovan coached Westbrook during his four years from 2015 to 2019, two of which were Oklahoma City teaming with the Thunder.
The Bulls are without starting point guard Lonzo Ball this season due to ongoing constraints from two knee surgeries since January 2022. In his place, head his coach Billy Donovan used his second year points guard Ayo Dosunmu at his 44th. game of the season. Goran Dragic and Coby White have also scored time-running points this season.
If the Bulls can get Westbrook to sign, he’ll join the starting lineup alongside Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, Patrick Williams and Nikola Vucevic, with a team hoping to make a splash in the Eastern Conference playoffs. can play together.
