Russell Westbrook Connected to Jazz in New NBA Trade Rumor

Could Russell Westbrook be bound for Utah?

Utah Jazz fans are stuck in limbo right now after rumors exploded earlier this week that team executives are now open to listening to trade offers for All-Star Donovan Mitchell. 

After dealing away Rudy Gobert in a blockbuster trade to Minnesota, moving Mitchell would signal Utah's intent of exploding the team and rebuilding from the ground up. While Jazz fans wait on eggshells to learn of Mitchell's fate, the rumor mill has cranked out another incendiary morsel. 

Bleacher Report's Jake Fischer floated the possibility of the Los Angeles Lakers trading Russell Westbrook to the Jazz — if certain stars in the NBA universe were to align. 

“If [Donovan] Mitchell is ultimately moved, and the Jazz are just kind of a wasteland of young picks or young players and draft picks, there has been increasing talk around the league about teams wondering if the Jazz would be a potential landing spot for the Lakers to send Russell Westbrook, where they could potentially get Patrick Beverley and other salary back,” said Fischer. “I’m not saying that’s been discussed. I’m not saying it’s likely to happen, but in theory, if the Jazz in this rebuild, who just want picks, can get one or two picks from the Lakers to get an expiring contract and buy Russell Westbrook out, it seems like a scenario people around the league believe to at least be plausible.”

Jake Fischer on what’s new with the Lakers: pic.twitter.com/CKcrSVO92B

— Lobos (@16and0) July 15, 2022

Shoutout to @LeSwiderman on Twitter for transcribing Fischer's remarks. 

Is a Westbrook to Utah trade imminent? No. Could it be plausible? Sure, but only if the dominoes fall a certain way. 

It's hard to get a bead on the exact philosophy of Jazz executive Danny Ainge, in terms of what comes next. Everything flows from whatever decision is made on the Mitchell front. 

Stay tuned. 

---

Follow Chad on Twitter @ChadNJensen.