Here's Why the Russell Westbrook-to-Utah Trade Rumors Make Sense

The summer of 2022 for the Utah Jazz first-year executive Danny Ainge will truly be one for the history books. 'Trader' Danny is living up to his nickname and is ruffling some feathers along the way.

ESPN's Brian Windhorst reported some inside-the-NBA buzz on how Ainge's counterparts view his dealings thus far.

"Danny Ainge has moved the game on winning deals," Windhorst said. "What he got for Gobert everybody in the league is b*tching about, like, "Can you believe it?" I've talked to 10 different people who've b*tched to me about the trade."

According to Windhorst, everyone in the NBA is "bitching" about what the Jazz got for Rudy Gobert

"I've talked to 10 different people who've bitched to me about that trade" pic.twitter.com/pCRo1l39ql
— Rob Lopez (@r0bato) July 15, 2022

When the dust settles, it's possible that Ainge will have acquired as many as 10 first-round picks in exchange for the services of Gobert and Donovan Mitchell — if the latter is actually traded.

But why stop there?

Now we have a trade rumor connecting Russell Westbrook to the Jazz, and the buzz makes a lot of sense.

Westbrook is in the last year of his five-year contract, where he's owed $47 million in 2022-23. Now for most teams, this would be a simple decision. Keep Westbrook, let the contract expire, and then reload in the 2023 free agent market.

The Los Angeles Lakers aren't like most teams, though. LeBron James is in the last year of his contract, and the Lakers don't have time to let contracts run their course.

The Lakers will want to make one last run at a title with James leading the way. They need to find a team that's not only willing to absorb Westbrook's $47M, but also one with the contracts to match his deal.

All this while keeping the Lakers competitive in a season that may be James' last in that uniform.

The Jazz are a perfect match. Bojan Bogdanovic, Jordan Clarkson, Mike Conley, and Patrick Beverley would all be candidates to be moved in a Lakers-Jazz exchange. This could put the Lakers back in contention and, at the same time, add to Utah's stockpile of first-round picks that Ainge seems hell-bent on acquiring.

Now, the Lakers aren’t exactly rich in draft capital. What they can offer gets a little murky until 2026 because of the Anthony Davis trade they made with the New Orleans Pelicans.

But it’s still plausible that Westbrook could be traded to the Jazz along with future picks in exchange for a salary dump and some assets for the 2022-23 season.

If it does happen, don’t be in a rush to get your Westbrook jersey. Most likely, the ex-MVP would be bought out and sent to the free agency market to play for a team of his choice.

We’ll see how it plays out in what is turning out to be an unprecedented summer for the Jazz.

Follow Patrick on Twitter @pbyrnesNBA.