Analyzing odds for Russell Westbrook suitors

The trade sending Paul George from the Oklahoma City Thunder to the Los Angeles Clippers turned the league's attention to Russell Westbrook almost immediately.

A Westbrook trade to completely overhaul the Thunder's roster and officially start a rebuild was mostly hypothetical among NBA fans - until Oklahoma City brass began exploring a potential exit with the star point guard.

Here, we explore the current odds for teams to land the eight-time All-Star and former MVP, as well as which clubs make the most sense as potential trade partners.

Heat

This one initially made all the sense in the world, even before reports of some mutual interest between the two parties. The Heat landing Westbrook to pair alongside Jimmy Butler would give the NBA another star duo, though the team would be taking on a hefty contract to do so. After originally opening 4-1, Miami is now the odds-on favorite. And though you'd have to pay 4-6, there's no denying the Heat deserve to be where they are.

Knicks

New York is a team starving for marketability and game-breaking talent. Westbrook fills both needs. The Knicks were the front-runners before the Heat overtook them in the odds, and they figure to have a tougher time putting together a package to secure Westbrook. In an ideal world, they'd dangle multiple free agents they recently signed, but they couldn't part with said players until December due to the Association's collective bargaining agreement. The Thunder aren't going to wait that long, and who knows if the Knicks' offer without those pieces would be attractive enough for Oklahoma City.

Pistons

This is a sneaky-good trade destination when you consider all the factors. The Pistons could pair Westbrook with Blake Griffin and the Thunder would likely pile up one, if not multiple first-round picks in return. Detroit was one of our favorite suitors when we mapped out potential trade partners last weekend.

Thunder

This wouldn't have been a bad bet a couple of days ago, but both the front office and Westbrook's camp seem hell-bent on a move. The franchise would be doing the guard a disservice by keeping him on the roster as it goes in a different direction.

Bulls

We find it hard to believe the Bulls can get a deal done without surrendering Lauri Markkanen and Wendell Carter Jr. Without both of those players, Oklahoma City probably finds a sweeter haul elsewhere. Westbrook would be a tremendous get for a stagnant franchise like Chicago, but the timing just doesn't feel right.

Rockets

This one's a long shot, according to ESPN's Tim MacMahon. The Rockets would have to go through a couple of steps even before acquiring Westbrook, including finding a trade partner to get Chris Paul and his money off the books. The Rockets are in win-now mode, so it's not surprising to see them on the list; they're typically linked in props like these simply based on their position within the NBA. But they're a long shot for a reason, and there's not enough there to convince us Westbrook is a fit in Houston.

Timberwolves

Some teams don't have a case for trading for Westbrook. Haley O'Shaughnessy of The Ringer, however, made a pretty damn good one for the Timberwolves, suggesting either Andrew Wiggins or Robert Covington as the headliner going back to Oklahoma City along with coveted draft picks. Minnesota was already featured on the odds board prior to that article, so there was already some buzz. It all boils down to whether the Thunder want to take on Wiggins' contract in return, and if the T-Wolves truly want to say "screw it" and go all-in. Though it would be oddly fascinating to watch Westbrook team up with Karl-Anthony Towns, this feels mostly like a pipe dream for Minnesota fans.

Alex Kolodziej is theScore's betting writer. He's a graduate of Eastern Illinois who has been involved in the sports betting industry for 11 years. He can quote every line from "Rounders" and appreciates franchises that regularly wear alternate jerseys. Find him on Twitter @AlexKoIodziej.