It's only a matter of time before the Utah Jazz buy out Russell Westbrook's contract following his blockbuster trade from the Los Angeles Lakers. Right? Well, apparently this might not be the case at all amid a surprising twist to Russ' status with his new team.

According to Jazz team insider Tony Jones of The Athletic, none other than Utah general manager Justin Zanik has hinted at the possibility of Russ remaining with the team. Apparently, both parties have yet to decide on a contract buyout, which means that Westbrook could actually end up playing for the Jazz for the remainder of the season:

“Justin Zanik says the Jazz have met with Russell Westbrook and his representation. The Jazz are currently open to every possibility. Westbrook has expressed a willingness to play for the Jazz. The two sides are still working through it. No decisions have been made,” Jones reports.

At the moment, the Jazz are sitting at the 10th spot in the West. They are still very much in contention for a playoff spot this year, and this is despite the fact that they parted ways with a couple more key guys prior to the trade deadline. They did get Westbrook back as part of the deal, though, and it seems like they are now exploring the possibility of Russ helping them achieve their goals this season.

The Jazz let go of both Malik Beasley and Jarred Vanderbilt as part of the deal, but they also got Juan Toscano-Anderson and Damian Jones back. All hope is not lost for Utah right now, and given how they've surprised the entire basketball world with their unexpectedly strong start to the season, they could very well be a nuisance in the West with this current group.

The Miami Heat, the Los Angeles Clippers, and the Chicago Bulls have recently emerged as possible destinations for Russ if a buyout goes through, but it now seems that interested parties will need to wait and see if Westbrook actually wants to leave Utah in the first place.