NBA Offseason 2020: 5 potential landing spots for Russell Westbrook

5. Memphis Grizzlies

The Rockets sent out quite a few future first-rounders in the ill-fated Chris Paul trade. Any Westbrook trade that can recoup some of those lost assets is a win, even if the role players heading to Houston here wouldn’t be an ideal return for an All-Star who put up 27.2 points, 7.9 rebounds and 7.0 assists per game last year.

There are no blue-chippers in a package of Gorgui Dieng, Kyle Anderson and Tyus Jones, but their arrival would provide Houston with some much-needed depth. Anderson’s multi-positional defense would be a welcome addition, Dieng would automatically be the Rockets’ best actual center and Jones is another solid backup. Throwing in a draft pick of any kind — even a protected one from the Utah Jazz — is a win.

For the Memphis Grizzlies, a backcourt of Westbrook and Ja Morant would keep opposing defenses on their heels all night. The pure athleticism on display would be breathtaking, and although Memphis should avoid taking the ball out of Morant’s hands, the Rookie of the Year’s 33.5 percent shooting from 3-point range indicates he could respectfully space the floor in the near future.

However, even if the Grizzlies aren’t losing a single key member of the rotation, this could be a case of subtraction by addition. Westbrook would undoubtedly bump Memphis into playoff territory, but if he detracted from this team’s intriguing youth movement in any way, it’d be a major backfire. The Grizz might prefer to avoid that kind of situation altogether, while the Rockets might be looking for a better return on a player they sacrificed Chris Paul for only a year ago.