Best Russell Westbrook destinations if he leaves Clippers

It seems like the Miami Heat have always had their eyes on Westbrook. Back in 2019 when the Thunder dealt George to the Clippers and eventually sent Westbrook to Houston, there were rumors and a discussion as to whether or not Miami should try to snag the former MVP out of Oklahoma City.

That never happened, but perhaps a union would make sense this time around. Westbrook’s tenacity on the floor has always seemed as if it would fit well within Heat Culture. That especially seems like the case now that he has embraced a role off the bench in his last two stops with the Los Angeles Lakers and Clippers.

After Miami dealt Kyle Lowry to the Charlotte Hornets in exchange for Terry Rozier, the Heat could use a veteran hand off the bench like Westbrook. His fit would be tricky next to Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo since neither of them are reliable volume 3-point shooters.

But Miami’s guard depth after Rozier and Tyler Herro isn’t very robust. And, they always find a way to maximize every player on their roster. That’s what Erik Spoelstra does. He can do the same with Westbrook.

Chicago Bulls

If Westbrook wants familiar surroundings, he could find it in Chicago. He thrived under the tutelage of Billy Donovan, the current head coach of the Bulls, while both were in Oklahoma City. That familiarity could help the transition be much more smooth in the Windy City than it would be potentially elsewhere.

This would be a very on-brand move for the Bulls. This franchise is stuck in the middle of the NBA without any real plan or desire to get out. They *should* be hatching an escape plan from this team that has lost in the play-in each of the last two seasons. The path to do so is there with DeMar DeRozan slated to become a free agent in the summertime.

But until Chicago actually makes the leap of faith to begin the rebuild, it can’t be assumed that they plan to go that route. If they want to stick around the middle of the league, Westbrook can help them do that. He can sell tickets and provide a jolt of energy off the bench for them.

The Bulls don’t exactly need guards. If DeRozan returns, then they’ll have him, Coby White, Zach LaVine, Alex Caruso, and Ayo Dosunmu. That’s a good group. But Westbrook can be a cheaper alternative to DeRozan in free agency without putting a significant dent in Chicago’s win total. This pairing may not seem likely, but it could make some sense in the proper context.