Russell Westbrook on the Chicago Bulls isn’t the worst idea.

The reason is simple: The Bulls are desperate and, after another dormant trade deadline, in need of direction.

As a star player potentially on the cusp of becoming available via buyout, Westbrook suddenly represents the path of least resistance. Unlike in 2020, when Westbrook wanted out of Houston, his interests now better align with the Bulls.

芝加哥公牛队签下拉塞尔威斯布鲁克并不是最糟糕的主意。

原因很简单：公牛队很绝望，在又一个无作为的交易截止日期之后，需要弥补。

作为一名可能即将被买断的明星球员，威斯布鲁克突然获得了选择自己未来球队的权利。与 2020 年威斯布鲁克想要离开休斯顿不同，他的兴趣现在与公牛队更加一致。

It seems only a matter of time before the two sides unite and attempt to save each other from a forgettable season. There is reported mutual interest between Westbrook, 34, and the Miami Heat, as well as the LA Clippers.

Westbrook, a flawed and fading future Hall of Famer set to suit up for his fifth franchise, is a headstrong inpidual who likely feels he has plenty left to offer. He was traded from the Los Angeles Lakers to Utah last week, ending a tumultuous two-season tenure with his hometown franchise. Meanwhile, the Bulls are floundering and flirting with failing to qualify for the Play-In Tournament. They enter Monday’s matchup against Orlando in 10th place at 26-30.

双方达成合作并试图将彼此从一个令人遗忘的赛季中拯救出来似乎只是时间问题。据报道，34 岁的威斯布鲁克和迈阿密热火队以及洛杉矶快船队都存在兴趣。

威斯布鲁克是一个有缺陷且日渐衰落的未来名人堂成员，他准备为他的第五支球队效力，他是一个任性的人，他可能觉得自己还有很多东西可以帮助球队。上周他从洛杉矶湖人队被交易到犹他爵士队，结束了他在家乡球队动荡的两个赛季。与此同时，公牛队正在为获得入围赛资格而苦苦挣扎。他们目前 26-30 的成绩排名东部第 10 名。

While the plights and potential marriage might be imperfect, it reminds us of Westbrook’s motto: “Why not?”

We’ll soon learn whether the Bulls get it done. Here are five pros and five cons of Chicago adding Westbrook as a midseason boost.

虽然公牛的困境和潜在的搭配可能并不完美，但它让我们想起了威斯布鲁克的座右铭：“为什么不呢？”

我们很快就会知道公牛队是否做到了。以下是芝加哥加入威斯布鲁克作为赛季中期补强的五个优点和五个缺点。

优点

Westbrook is an upgrade: There is no denying this fact. Second-year point guard Ayo Dosunmu has underwhelmed as the fill-in for Lonzo Ball, and the Bulls don’t have many other options. Alex Caruso is better off the ball. Coby White seems to have lost the trust of the coaching staff operating as the lead facilitator. Westbrook would improve stability at the position. If the Bulls land Westbrook and a two-dozen-game trial goes well, who’s to say Westbrook and the Bulls don’t re-up next season? Ball’s return remains up in the air, and even when he returns, the Bulls need additional backcourt talent. Westbrook isn’t the ideal fit. But he’s become the best available. And the Bulls are in no position to turn down talent.

威少是升级版多森姆：不可否认这个事实。二年级控球后卫多森姆作为朗佐鲍尔的替补表现平平，公牛队没有太多其他选择。亚历克斯卡鲁索在无球状态下表现更好。科比怀特似乎已经失去了教练组的信任。威斯布鲁克将提高这个位置的稳定性。如果公牛队签下威斯布鲁克并且融合顺利进行，谁能说威斯布鲁克和公牛队下赛季不会重振旗鼓？鲍尔的回归仍然悬而未决，即使他回归，公牛队也需要额外的后场人才。威斯布鲁克不是理想的人选。但他已经成为最好的球员。公牛队无法拒绝人才。

Competitive edge: Few are more driven than Westbrook or match his relentlessness. The lifeless stretches that have become commonplace for the Bulls would cease. Westbrook will infuse the Bulls with nightly energy and intensity. Given the way the Bulls have casually strolled through this season, that trait alone almost makes Westbrook worth adding.

竞争优势：很少有人比威斯布鲁克更有动力，也没有人能比得上他的不屈不挠。对公牛队来说已经司空见惯的死气沉沉的环境将会终止。威斯布鲁克将在每个晚上为公牛队注入活力和强度。考虑到公牛队本赛季随意比赛的方式，单是这一点就几乎让威斯布鲁克值得加入。

Leadership: Westbrook has an insanely dominant personality. Others often gravitate to him and follow his lead. Some people just have that effect. Westbrook possesses it in abundance. A locker room lacking vocal leadership could greatly benefit from Westbrook’s no-nonsense, give-it-to-you-straight style. He’s direct, unapologetic and not just comfortable in uncomfortable moments but seemingly thrives in them. If the Bulls are looking for a spark plug, which they are and should be, Westbrook is as electric as they come.

领导力：威斯布鲁克有着疯狂的统治力。其他人经常被他所吸引并追随他的领导。有些人就是有这种效果。威斯布鲁克拥有丰富的领导力。一个缺乏发声的更衣室可以从威斯布鲁克的严肃、直截了当的风格中受益匪浅。他很直接，毫无歉意，不仅会把球队的问题直接说出来，而且让球队在其中茁壮成长。如果公牛队正在寻找一个爆点，他们正在寻找并且应该寻找，那么威斯布鲁克就是最适合他们的。

Versatility: Let’s not forget he’s the triple-double king, with an NBA record 198 to his name. Westbrook still can stuff the stat sheet, and his triple-double threat will help bring the Bulls better balance while shoring up their occasional rebounding issues. His speed and force from end to end can ignite the Bulls’ transition game. His attacks on the rim will help generate easier buckets. And his facilitating could help unlock more wrinkles in the offense. In essence, he gives the Bulls many more options.

全能：别忘了他是三双王，他的NBA纪录是 198 次。威斯布鲁克仍然可以填满数据表，他的全能将帮助公牛队更好地平衡，同时弥补他们偶尔出现的篮板问题。他从头到尾的速度和力量可以点燃公牛队的比赛氛围。他对篮筐的攻击将有助于产生更多的罚球。他可以帮助球队解决进攻中的停滞。从本质上讲，他给了公牛队更多的选择。

Cost: If the Bulls land Westbrook, he’ll likely come on a minimum deal. The Bulls are narrowly below the tax threshold, and given their history of avoidance it would be shocking to see them decide to take on the penalty for Westbrook. Assuming a potential Westbrook signing is a minimum contract that keeps the Bulls out of the tax, the potential reward greatly outweighs the risk.

成本：如果公牛队得到威斯布鲁克，他很可能会以最高的价格得到。公牛队勉强低于奢侈税门槛，鉴于他们的避税历史，看到他们决定为威斯布鲁克承担奢侈税将是令人震惊的。假设威斯布鲁克签约是让公牛队免于缴税的最低合同，那么潜在的回报将大大超过风险。

缺点

Shooting is a shortcoming: He’s a 30 percent 3-point shooter for his career. This season, he’s shot 29.6 percent on 4.1 3-pointers per game. The Bulls need more marksmen, not more liabilities. For all of Westbrook’s valuable qualities, this one alone would wreck the Bulls’ offense. Ball, remember, shot 42.3 percent on 7.4 3s per game last season. That’s what made him such an ideal fit. He brought all the versatility of Westbrook and added substantially more value by being able to stroke it from 3-point range.

投篮：他职业生涯的三分球命中率只有 30%。本赛季，他场均投 4.1 个三分球，命中率为 29.6%。公牛队需要更多的射手，而不是更多的负担。对于威斯布鲁克的所有宝贵品质，仅此一项就会破坏公牛队的进攻。请记住，鲍尔上赛季场均出手 7.4 个三分球，命中率为 42.3%。这就是他如此理想的原因。他带来了威斯布鲁克所有的多面性，并通过三分增加了更多的价值。

Defense is a deficiency: Westbrook gets a lot of credit for playing hard but rarely does that description refer to defense. Throughout his career Westbrook has coasted defensively, never making an NBA All-Defensive Team despite being hailed as the most athletic point guard in NBA history (with all due respect to Derrick Rose). He has moments where he floats, fails to fight over screens, doesn’t get back in transition and loses his assignment. An aloof defender is the last thing the Bulls can afford to add. Their perimeter defense already is problematic. Westbrook wouldn’t help. He’d likely make things worse.

防守：威斯布鲁克因努力打球而获得很多赞誉，但这种描述很少提到防守。在他的整个职业生涯中，威斯布鲁克的防守端表现一直被大家忽略，尽管他被誉为 NBA 历史上最具运动能力的控球后卫（对德里克罗斯给予应有的尊重），但他从未入选过 NBA 最佳防守阵容。他有很多时候，不会在挡拆中去卡位，无法在转换中去补防。一个冷漠的防守者是公牛队不能负担得起的。他们的外线防守已经存在问题。威斯布鲁克不会帮忙。他可能会让事情变得更糟。

Turnovers are too frequent: Westbrook always has been a high-volume turnover guard. In the past, his strengths outw eighed his weakness. That might no longer be the case, especially if he’s being counted on as the primary decision-maker. Westbrook ranks third on the NBA’s all-time turnover list. He’s finished in the top six in turnovers in 14 of his 15 seasons. The lone exception came during the 2013-14 season when he played a career-low 46 games due to knee surgeries.

失误：威斯布鲁克一直是一个高失误率的后卫。在过去，他的长处胜过他的短处。但现在情况可能不再如此，尤其是当他被视为主要决策者时。威斯布鲁克在NBA历史失误榜上排名第三。在他的 15 个赛季中，他有 14 个赛季的失误数排名前六。唯一的例外出现在 2013-14 赛季，当时他因膝盖手术打了职业生涯最低的 46 场比赛。

Health concerns: The last thing the Bulls need is another guard with a history of knee surgeries. Westbrook has been healthy this season. But his history can’t be ignored. He has undergone five knee surgeries since 2013. While flashes of his former athleticism are seen on occasion, Westbrook has started his descent. The Bulls have to ask themselves if Westbrook, in a featured role, still can consistently give them what they need.

健康：公牛队最不需要的是另一名有膝盖手术史的后卫。威斯布鲁克本赛季一直很健康。但他的历史不容忽视。自 2013 年以来，他已经接受了五次膝盖手术。虽然偶尔会看到他以前的运动能力，但威斯布鲁克已经开始下滑。公牛队必须问问自己，威斯布鲁克作为一个重要角色，是否仍然能够始终如一地为他们提供他们所需要的东西。

Accountability: Westbrook does what he wants. He did under Billy Donovan for four seasons in Oklahoma City. Nothing suggests he won’t now 4 1/2 seasons later in Chicago. Donovan has some excellent qualities as a head coach, most notably his consistent daily approach and demeanor. But from the time he entered the NBA in 2015, Donovan has carried a reputation as a player-friendly coach. It’s a description that can carry a negative connotation when assigned to non-confrontational coaches who overly cater to their star players. Donovan doesn’t fall into that category. But adding Westbrook to a mix that already includes stars DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine and Nikola Vučević could be playing with dynamite. But what other options do the Bulls have? Desperate franchises do desperate things.

谁来背锅： 威斯布鲁克做他想做的事。他在比利多诺万手下在俄克拉荷马城效力了四个赛季。没有任何迹象表明他现在不会在 4 1/2 个赛季后在芝加哥。作为一名主教练，多诺万具有一些优秀的品质，最显着的是他一贯的日常工作方式和举止。但自 2015 年进入 NBA 以来，多诺万一直以对球员友好的教练着称。当分配给过分迎合明星球员的非铁血教练时，这种描述可能带有负面含义。多诺万不属于这一类。但将威斯布鲁克加入到已经包括明星德马尔德罗赞、扎克拉文和尼古拉武切维奇的阵容中就像装上了一个定时炸弹。但是公牛队还有什么其他选择呢？绝望的球队在做绝望的事情。