The NBA was recently shocked following Kawhi Leonard's decision to leave the Toronto Raptors and sign with the Los Angeles Clippers. What ensued was a series of high-status trades, the biggest being Paul George going to the Clippers. This left one big question, should Russell Westbrook ask for a trade in order to have a viable chance to get hit first championship ring?
Although Westbrook is seen by many as the Oklahoma City Thunders' franchise player, there are some rumors claiming that the star guard should take his talent somewhere else if he hopes to win a ring. Here three of Westbrook's viable option should he opt to ask for a trade.
Miami Heat
While the Heat is not exactly a championship team, Westbrook should fit nicely into the system. In fact, there are a number of local writers from Miami claiming that the organization is interested in acquiring Westbrook if he is put in the trade black.
The biggest question here is whether Miami has the assets to entice the Thunders into making the trade. Westbrook signed a $205-million max contract with the Thunders, this means that his salary will eat quite a large chunk of the Heat's coffers. On top of that, Miami doesn't appear to have the assets to serve as a sweetener for the trade. Nevertheless, Miami is still a good option, and they can definitely land him if they choose to pursue.
Detroit Pistons
League insiders have repeatedly reported in the past that the Pistons have a keen interest in acquiring Westbrook. With Blake Griffin as the team's standout star, the organization might be looking for another big name star that he could pair with. This could be the making of a great duo with high-flying antics.
Just like the Heat, the Pistons are in a serious shortage of assets. The organization does not have young talents to offer in exchange for Westbrook, and they also do not hold any significant trade cards as of this writing. Should the Pistons pursue, they might work out a deal that will exchange Andre Drummond for Westbrook.
Minnesota Timberwolves
The Timberwolves, unsurprisingly, is heading into the next season without a lead point guard. The team just missed D'Angelo Russel from the free agency, and they are in dire need of a future-proof point guard. They could finally land this with Westbrook.
There are rumors claiming that Minnesota is looking to trade Andrew Wiggins. If the Timberwolves are able to secure Westbrook's services, this will create a great dynamic duo with Karl-Anthony Towns.
