(Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images)
The Miami Heat’s biggest splash of the offseason was acquiring veteran wing Norman Powell form the Los Angeles Clippers in a three-team trade earlier this summer.
Powell’s addition is a fairly seamless fit, especially at the price — which came at the expense of veteran forwards Kevin Love and Kyle Anderson, both fringe rotation players. Though there are questions about his fit alongside one-time All-Star Tyler Herro, who’s coming off the best year of his career.
While the 32-year-old adds plenty of scoring punch to a Heat offense that’s been a bottom-third offense each of the three seasons, one esteemed publication believes he will take a considerable step back with Miami.
Bleacher Report tabs Norman Powell as Heat’s ‘biggest faller’ entering 2025-26:
Here’s what Bleacher Report’s Grant Hughes recently wrote in an article where he listed each team’s “biggest riser” and “biggest faller”:
“Career years at age 31 are rare, but it’s even less common for a player to sustain such a late-blooming breakout,” Hughes wrote. “Powell put up a personal-best 21.8 points on a 61.5 true shooting percentage for the Clippers last season, starting a career-high 60 games and even earning some All-Star consideration. He might still be a solid offensive starter for the Heat, but he’s not going to duplicate last season’s efforts.”
There’s no doubt that last season was the best year of Powell’s 10-year career.
In his first season as a full-time starter since 2021-22, he averaged a career-high 21.8 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists on 48.4 percent shooting from the floor, 41.8 percent from 3-point range and 80.4 percent from the free-throw line.
He was the Clippers’ No. 2 option alongside Kawhi Leonard and James Harden. And there is a world where that the case with Herro, Bam Adebayo and Andrew Wiggins.
It remains up in the air whether Powell will begin the season as a starter or not. With two top-4 Sixth Man of the Year finishes, he’s shown that he’s more than capable coming off the bench and providing a positive impact.
I don’t think he’s the biggest faller, however. What are your thoughts? Let us know in the comments!
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