Norman Powell has optimized every chance to remind Clippers of disruptive fit

Norman Powell’s name could raise an endless conversation for fans of the LA Clippers. Not because fans were excited about his success with the Miami Heat or because they missed his energy, but primarily because he has, in glimpses, reminded the Clippers why his game in LA was problematic.

However, Powell has taken these reminders to a level the Clippers never thought they would witness, especially after the start of the season. For a handful of weeks, in October and November, a similar cycle of the same concept was repeated, and it began to sound like a loop Clipper Nation grew tired of.

“The Clippers made a massive blunder by trading Powell, and for the rest of this season and his next contract, they will regret not giving him an extension.” Indirectly, Powell also contributed to the headache that would not disappear for Clippers fans by doing his job, scoring 30 points in 32 minutes on December 1st.

Well, Powell’s recent performances tell otherwise, and the flaws he has been revealing have been in a few key ways that fans of the Clippers remember witnessing.

The issue with Norman Powell in Miami has been defense and turnovers

Norman Powell is one of the best non-ball-dominant scorers in the league. He can live, and ultimately make his living, from just moving around and creating space through his excellent conditioning.

With the ball in his hands, Powell sees nothing but the defender and the goal. Hence, he puts his head down, like he did in consecutive possessions against the Chicago Bulls, and uses his first step, plus aggression, to glide to the rim.

But Heat fans have come to learn that his strategy of scoring leads to high turnover percentages. Powell was fortunate the Bulls missed opportunities to capitalize on his mistakes, even though he was nowhere to be found after committing back-to-back careless errors, yet the next team, and the team after, will not; they will quickly flip the veteran guard’s poor execution into fast-break buckets.

Though Powell’s offensive IQ is one issue, his off-ball defense is another story. It is clear from the Heat's defensive film that opponents are given recurring open looks more often than they should because their supposed star, who everyone once preached should be an all-star, cannot keep up.

He either falls asleep, is lost on his assignment, or is found trailing a guard looking to score at the iron.

That said, extension chatter went from loud discussions to whispers, and so has the all-star debate. Powell is an exceptional talent, but it is clear why the Clippers parted ways with him.