Leading up to February 6th, the LA Clippers had no plans to trade Norman Powell and Kris Dunn. They were pivotal to LA's core around Kawhi Leonard, and executive Lawrence Frank assumed they could keep up with playoff speed.
Therefore, Frank went with his gut feeling and refrained from selling high on two of his most significant, high-end role players. He had the right intention in mind, as Powell was outperforming All-Stars around the league and Dunn was in the running for the first All-Defensive nomination of his career.
Though most say your gut is seemingly never wrong, Frank's was, by a long shot. The performances and impact from Dunn and Powell took a hit significantly near the end of the season, making it hard not to think on what could have been.
Had Frank listed a high price tag on both, some team around the league would have certainly paid the cost, thinking they would be elevating their floor. However, LA faces the consequences of their fear of taking a risk and will have Powell and Dunn on the block at an attainable rate.
Dunn and Powell had a predictable fall off the LA Clippers' front office failed to grasp at the All-Star break
The prominent downfall of Norman Powell and Kris Dunn was easily seen in how they produced on the court for the LA Clippers. This was not sustainable, though the front office was optimistic it would be, and now Lawrence Frank must pay an expensive bill.
Powell, before All-Star weekend, was averaging 24.2 points in 33.6 minutes, shooting 49.6% from the field and 42.8% from three. He was nailing tough finishes and contested jumpers, and the Clippers assumed nothing would change in the second half of the season.
In simple words, LA was as wrong as ever, as Powell averaged 14.4 points in 29.8 minutes after the break, shooting 43.1% from the field and 37.3% from a distance.
On the other hand, Dunn's drop-off occurred primarily in the postseason, when his elite defense could no longer cover the gap for where he was worst at: shooting. He was unplayable when the spotlight shone, and NBA teams likely noted his trade value dwindle.
If the Clippers had packaged Dunn and Powell by the deadline, they could have landed an elite backup big man or All-Star Talent. Instead, they will likely be used in the offseason to acquire role players and draft picks.