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3 teams that could sign Russell Westbrook if Lakers trade him

By Jason Reed

CLEVELAND, OHIO - MARCH 21: Russell Westbrook #0 of the Los Angeles Lakers celebrates during the third quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on March 21, 2022 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Lakers defeated the Cavaliers 131-120. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, OHIO - MARCH 21: Russell Westbrook #0 of the Los Angeles Lakers celebrates during the third quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on March 21, 2022 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Lakers defeated the Cavaliers 131-120. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers
(Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers /

3. Oklahoma City Thunder

The Oklahoma City Thunder are going to be a fun team to watch next season. They are not quite there yet when it comes to being a playoff team but they definitely should not be among the bottom feeders in the league. With a stacked West, the Thunder will have one of the lower records in the conference but they should be miles better than the other bad teams.

Sure, Victor Wembanyama is an intriguing prospect but the Thunder cannot continue to ice Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (and now Chet Holmgren) just to have a chance of winning the lottery. They don’t need to be a playoff team but their young guys have to play and develop. Winning more games helps.

Westbrook is the kind of player that can add 5-6 wins to the Thunder and even allow them to flirt with being in the play-in. Getting that kind of experience for SGA, Chet and Josh Giddey would be huge.

Plus it is a good story for the Thunder. They are already a fun team to watch and they would be bringing Westbrook back to the fanbase that first embraced him. If there is one fanbase that would take Russ in with open arms, it is Thunder fans.

The biggest hangup with this is the role Westbrook would have to play. Westbrook would almost certainly have to come off the bench as a sixth man with SGA and Josh Giddey in the backcourt. The team absolutely cannot sit one of those guys for Westbrook and Russ might have a problem with that.

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That being said, there is some fun potential of a Westbrook-Giddey-SGA-Dort-Holmgren three-guard lineup.

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