The Chicago Bulls are interested in signing Russell Westbrook, should he secure a buyout with the Utah Jazz, according to Chris Haynes.
On Wednesday, Westbrook was dealt to the Utah Jazz by way of a three-team trade that also saw D'Angelo Russell land with the Los Angeles Lakers.
If the Jazz buy out Westbrook's contract, he will seek a new contract in the buyout market. Along with the Bulls, the Los Angeles Clippers are interested. The Miami Heat are also interested, according to separate reports.
For the Bulls, however, the deal would take some maneuvering.
As of now, the Bulls have 15 salaries. They would need to waive a player or execute an uneven trade to make a deal with Westbrook work, according to NBC Sports Chicago's K.C. Johnson. The Clippers are running favorites for the former MVP point guard.
Also, the Bulls are roughly $1.7 million short of the luxury tax line. They would need to thread the needle of signing Westbrook to a prorated contract while staying underneath the tax line. The Bulls have paid the luxury tax once in franchise history.
Westbrook wouldn’t solve any of the Bulls’ 3-point shooting woes. But, his ability to rebound and play with a high motor constantly would be a fit.
To this day, Donovan raves about Westbrook's professionalism, energy and desire to win when asked about his former point guard. Donovan coached Westbrook for four years between 2015-19 while the two teamed up with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Bulls have been without starting point guard Lonzo Ball this season due to ongoing constraints from two knee surgeries that have left him off the floor since January 2022. In his place, head coach Billy Donovan has started second-year point guard Ayo Dosunmu in 44 games this season. Goran Dragić and Coby White have seen time running point this season, too.
Should the Bulls pull off a deal with Westbrook, he could join the starting corps along with Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, Patrick Williams and Nikola Vucevic, playing alongside a team that hopes to make noise in the Eastern Conference playoffs.
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