In 2022, the LA Clippers made an aggressive call near the February trade deadline to acquire a three-level scorer in Norman Powell. Along with Powell, the Clippers received a defensive force in Robert Covington.
Although Covington is no longer on the Clippers, the decision to trade for Powell continues to ascend as one of the best made by the front office. He has developed in various ways for head coach Tyronn Lue and is now the top scoring option next to the former MVP, James Harden.
This season, Powell is averaging 23.7 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 2.2 assists, shooting 49.0% from the field, 44.1% from three, and 83.2% from the strike. He has taken advantage of his heightened role, making him one of the best players under Lue and the Clippers.
Whether he is checked into a comeback effort, close-game situation, or to build a lead, Powell has done it all for the Clippers.
Looking back, it is surprising how little the Clippers gave up for one of the most underrated scorers in the NBA.
The LA Clippers’ trade for star Norman Powell continues to shock the eyes of NBA fans all over the globe.
The LA Clippers’ choice to acquire Norman Powell was easy to fathom, as he dominates the offensive side of the ball in the starting lineup or off the bench. Throughout the last two seasons, the former UCLA Bruin finished fourth in Sixth Man of the Year voting despite recording numbers that proved he deserved to win the award.
Nonetheless, the Clippers traded a 2025 second-round pick, Eric Bledsoe, Justise Winslow, and Keon Johnson, to land Powell and Robert Covington.
In 2025, Bledsoe plays for the Shanghai Sharks, Winslow is rostered by the Wisconsin Herd(Milwaukee’s G-League affiliate), and Johnson is a bench contributor for the Brooklyn Nets.
For context, the Clippers included Covington in a blockbuster deal for James Harden last October.
Furthermore, it did not take long for the Trail Blazers to move on from the players they obtained from the Clippers. They made a quick move to ship Powell, and it has left an inferior look on their front office.
That said, Powell is scoring high numbers nightly for the Clippers with hopes of being selected into the 2025 all-star game. This jump is something Portland did not see coming, as they wish he was still there to help their ongoing rebuild.