The Utah Jazz seem like they're pretty much done this offseason. There could be another trade lined up, but after the Walker Kessler trade and getting a sample of the Darryn Peterson experience, the Jazz don't really have much else to address. However, there's one experiment they could try out if they so chose: signing Russell Westbrook.
Yes, that's funny, but not because of Westbrook's current status. It's funny because of the irony of it all. The Jazz traded for Russ not once, but twice in a one-year span, give or take, only to eat his contract and nothing else. Once he was acquired, they let him resume his career elsewhere to get a title.
Well, that was back when Utah was actively trying to be bad. Now, they're not. Will adding Westbrook change much about the Jazz's current aspirations? At this stage of his career, no, but that doesn't mean he can't be useful for a team like them.
Westbrook's appeal to the Jazz
Westbrook is no longer peak Russ, but he has a pretty consistent reputation of being a well-liked teammate and influence. Feel free to look it up, but some of his teammates, like Bradley Beal, Victor Oladipo, Nicolas Batum, and Domantas Sabonis, have all singled out the impact Westbrook had on them when they played together.
Westbrook's game wasn't always pretty, but he is a pretty well-regarded teammate. If Utah brought him in, it would primarily be to be a Kevin Love-like voice on the team. Love, who may or may not be skipping town this offseason, was loved by the Jazz team because of the influence he had on that locker room.
Plus, even if Love's primary value was being a good example for the youngsters, when the Jazz asked him to fill in when their roster was undermanned, he did what he could. Utah would have quite a few guards ahead of Westbrook, but there's a chance they will be ravaged by injuries, and should they cross that bridge, Westbrook could fill in.
Would everyone laugh if Utah did this? Of course they would, but if the expectation for Westbrook is around the same as Love's last year, that might be perfect for both sides.
Let's confront the elephant in the room
Every Jazz fan remembers the incident in which a fan caused a confrontation with the former MVP that ultimately led to the fan justifiably getting banned from ever attending a Jazz game again, while Westbrook got fined $25k.
Even so, when Utah acquired him for the first time, he actually considered staying with the team, even though they made that trade in the first place as more of a waving of the white flag. He took a buyout in the end, but Westbrook's character deserves praise for not holding that incident against the Jazz or their fans.
The Jazz would not add Westbrook with the expectation of him starting or really playing much at all, but if he brings that kind of character into their locker room while adding some emergency depth, that's about as good of a 15th man as one could expect.
Add us as a preferred source on Google