NBA Rumors: Russell Westbrook, Clippers Open Talks amid Jazz Contract Buyout Buzz

The Los Angeles Clippers "have begun conversations" with Russell Westbrook ahead of a potential move on the buyout market, according to The Athletic's Shams Charania and Law Murray.

The Utah Jazz have yet to buy Westbrook out of his contract following his trade from the Los Angeles Lakers, but it's one of the options he and the Jazz are considering, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Thursday's report appears to represent a slight shift in the Clippers' approach to the 2016-17 MVP. Charania said Wednesday on FanDuel TV he hadn't "heard any traction yet, though, with Russell Westbrook and the Clippers."

Los Angeles could be sensing the market is starting to ramp up a bit. Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reported the Miami Heat are "gathering intel on Westbrook, soliciting input from people they trust who have worked with him."

Based on comments made by Clippers president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank, ruling out a return to L.A. for Westbrook seemed reasonable. Frank described what kind of player the team needed and preceded to basically identify every one of Westbrook's biggest weaknesses.

"We need someone that won't be played off the floor defensively, someone who can share the ball responsibilities but not be so ball dominant," he said, per ESPN's Ohm Youngmisuk. "... So, I think regardless of 'point guard' or not, they got to be able to shoot, because you know in the playoffs the stars are not going to have all that type of space."

Even as a sixth man with the Lakers, Westbrook remained a ball-dominant guard and a sub-30 percent shooter from the perimeter.

After trading John Wall to the Rockets, the Clippers are basically without a natural point guard to run the offense. They're leaning on Terance Mann and Bones Hyland to soak up the minutes at the point.

Westbrook would help fill a clear void from that respect. To Frank's point, however, the benefits could be negligible if the nine-time All-Star proves to be an even bigger liability on the court in the postseason.