The Russell Westbrook rumor mill is churning and Detroit Pistons fans are continuing to debate if their team should make a move.
The only definitive news we've heard in the last day or so is from ESPN's Woj, who reported Miami as the "favorable" target for Westbrook. Detroit is not Miami.Â
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Story filed to ESPN: In aftermath of Paul George’s departure, OKC star Russell Westbrook is welcoming to idea of Sam Presti engineering a trade that would bring an end to his illustrious 11-year Thunder tenure. Miami's expressed interest, a destination that appeals to Westbrook.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 8, 2019
Nevertheless, the Pistons are in the mix or are at least considering the move, according to reports.
Odds Shark released odds for teams to land Westbrook by the first game of next season. The Heat are somewhat heavily favored, but the Pistons aren't too far behind.
- Heat -150
- Knicks +300
- Pistons +500
- Thunder +500
- Bulls +1200
- Rockets +1200
- Timberwolves +1400
So, just for fun, let's take a look at some speculative deals being thrown out there:
Sporting News: "Reggie Jackson would presumably be part of this trade for salary purposes ($18 million expiring contract) and because pairing him with Westbrook is... yikes. Andre Drummond is another candidate, and so is Tony Snell. Luke Kennard and draft compensation could be attached as sweeteners."
CBS Sports: "How would a potential deal work? The Pistons could send OKC Reggie Jackson and Tony Snell to make the money work (Jackson expires after this year while Snell has a $12 million player option in 2020), Luke Kennard as the young prospect, and a future first-round pick. The next team we're going to look at -- the Heat -- have better young prospects to offer than Kennard, so Detroit might have to throw multiple first-round picks in should Miami get aggressive."
The Athletic: "The Pistons’ scenario appears to be potentially trickier, with likely candidates to make the salaries match including big man Andre Drummond (two years, $55.8 million combined, including a player option in 2020-21), former Thunder guard Reggie Jackson (one year, $18 million) and Tony Snell (two years, $23.5 million combined, with a player option in 2020-21)."
USA Today:Â Andre Drummond (two years and about $55.8 million left) is the most likely candidate to be the centerpiece of any trade for Westbrook, with Reggie Jackson (one year, $18 million) and Tony Snell (two years, $23.5 million) also having salaries large enough to potentially include. In that scenario, the Thunder would also likely demand draft picks in return for taking on so much salary beyond this coming season."