The Utah Jazz are trading for Russell Westbrook for the second time in 18 months ... and also not keeping him for the second time in 18 months.
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Both times, it's been with a team from Los Angeles. First it was the Lakers, and now the Clippers. Last time, the Jazz cut Westbrook after a trade with LA, and he ended up in LA. Just with the other LA. This time, he will end up with the Denver Nuggets. Who knows where Westbrook will be destined next time the Jazz trade for him?
Anyway, it won't be in Utah, and now Jazz head of basketball operations Danny Ainge has some ground to make up. At least, he does financially. The Jazz sent guard Kris Dunn to the Clippers as part of the trade, and as relayed by Andy Larsen of the Salt Lake Tribune, Utah is now about $28 million under the salary cap.
That means the Jazz will need to spend at least $18 million to get to the required salary floor, per Larsen.
Basically, good luck with all that.
But we're talking about Ainge here, and if we know Ainge, we know another deal (and likely some signings) are on the way.
No, it's not likely to involve franchise face and forward Lauri Markkanen, one of the top five or six players in all the West. By all accounts, the Jazz have at least taken calls, with the Golden State Warriors and San Antonio Spurs reportedly in hottest pursuit.
That doesn't mean the Jazz are the least bit inclined to move Markkanen. It just means everyone else is calling to make sure.
As for getting to the salary floor, solving that issue actually should be simple — and it involves Markkanen himself.
"They'll likely be able to achieve that by extending star forward Lauri Markkanen sometime on or after the Aug. 6 eligibility date," Larsen wrote.
So yeah, welcome to Utah, Russell Westbrook. We'll see ya later.
(This article was originally posted to Hoops Wire and was republished with permission.)
