The Chicago Bulls stood back at the NBA trade deadline this year and didn’t make a move, but in a weird way, things might have improved for them in the process.

The Nets blew it up, sending Kevin Durant to the Phoenix Suns and Kyrie Irving to the Dallas Mavericks. That should remove one team in front of the Bulls, at the moment, who sit at the number nine seed in the East.

Although, this roster doesn’t exactly scream “playoff contender,” right now. Chicago could still sneak in, but is that a real reason to celebrate?

One player that might end up helping Chicago to the postseason? Russell Westbrook, who was recently acquired by the Utah Jazz in a 3-team deal and request a buyout. If Westbrook were to request a buyout, believe it or not, the Bulls are one of two frontrunners to land him. It’s between Chicago and the Miami Heat, as of right now.

What good would signing Russell Westbrook do the Chicago Bulls at this point?

For those who are stat heads, Westbrook is currently averaging 15.9 points, 7.5 assists and 6.2 rebounds per game in roughly 28 minutes played.

He’s now best suited off the bench, but plays a good chunk of time nonetheless. He’s a fairly efficient player, overall, still. Although he isn’t as prolific a scorer as he once was, Westbrook can still run an offense and get his teammates involved.

The Bulls are missing a true facilitator on this team, and have been since Lonzo Ball went down. At the very least, Westbrook could fill in the gaps in that realm.

But, here’s another stat for you: on the season, Westbrook has just 0.5 win shares, according to Basketball Reference. That’s not a whole lot. It’s not all that impressive, and is by far the lowest number of his career.

Should the Bulls sign Westbrook, it feels like a move that would get them just a little closer to being a solidified playoff team. But, in the end, it’s not a move that would get this roster out of the first round.

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