The Miami Heat might’ve struck gold via trade this offseason, as they were able to acquire veteran guard Norman Powell from the Los Angeles Clippers in a three-team deal without giving up too much in return.
Although Powell has yet to make his Heat debut, the trade has been praised by many as a steal, and now, the good news just keeps coming.
According to a report, Powell’s “entire offseason has been geared toward showing everybody how much work he puts in,” something that has apparently been noticed behind the scenes.
“He’s a 32-year-old who might be 29 or 30 in NBA years and also clearly puts in the work,” said Heat insider Ethan J. Skolnick. “That’s obvious. His entire offseason has been geared toward showing everybody how much work he puts in, and that’s the same thing you hear behind the scenes.”
It sounds like the Heat acquired a hard worker, something that certainly bodes well for their system and culture.
Powell nearly played at an All-Star level last season. He finished the season with averages of 21.8 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game while shooting 48.4 percent from the field and 41.8 percent from beyond the arc. His contributions helped the Clippers reach the 50-win benchmark for a second season in a row.
If he can produce at a similar level with Miami moving forward, the trade for him may go down as one of the top Heat deals in recent memory. His new team is looking to wash away the taste of last season, which featured trade drama, a losing record and embarrassment in the playoffs.
Powell is best known for his scoring abilities these days, but one NBA scout said earlier this offseason that he still has the potential to be a two-way guy after being a strong defender earlier in his career. If there’s any organization in the NBA that can help Powell elevate his game on the defensive end, it may be the Heat.
Ultimately, folks will need to wait and see how Powell’s tenure with Miami plays out before coming to any firm conclusions about the trade, but as of now, it seems like the Heat were able to acquire a borderline star without giving up a significant haul. That’s certainly worth celebrating, even if the rest of Miami’s roster still has holes.