Why The Utah Jazz Do The Deal 

Let’s be honest: the Jazz don’t want Russell Westbrook. Realistically, there’s no scenario where they’d benefit from playing him. 

If Westbrook can still raise a team’s floor, that’s an issue. The Jazz, having just dealt Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert, are likely to “tank” the 2022-23 season and seek to maximize their lottery odds ahead of the 2023 draft. 

On the other hand, if Westbrook is racking up stats on a losing Jazz squad, that’s still suboptimal. Every possession that the veteran commandeers is a possession that could have gone to a young player. For a team in the Jazz’s position, those developmental reps are critical. 

In other words, the Jazz get involved here exclusively for the first-round pick. In all likelihood, they’d sit Westbrook for the year. That will be a blow to the former MVP’s pride, but the NBA can be a cold business. The Jazz have to do what’s best for their organization. 

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