Former Los Angeles Clippers guard Norman Powell probably will look to cash in big one more time in his NBA career as he is set to hit free agency following the 2025-26 season.
It appears the Clippers wanted to get out in front of that and ultimately decided to trade Powell to the Miami Heat in a three-team deal that also included the Utah Jazz.
It’s understandable why the Clippers were hesitant to shell out more money to Powell despite the 6-foot-3, 215-pound guard pouring in a career-high 21.8 points per game this past season. Powell is on the wrong side of 30 — he turned 32 in May — and handing him a lucrative, multi-year contract extension most likely wouldn’t age well.
According to NBA insider Michael Scotto, the Clippers want financial flexibility in the future and being weighed down by a Powell contract certainly wouldn’t give them that.
“Sources: The Los Angeles Clippers were reluctant to give Norman Powell a long-term extension as he enters the final year of his deal ($20.48 million) with Kawhi Leonard and James Harden signed through the 2026-27 season,” Scotto wrote on X on Monday. “The Clippers are prioritizing significant cap space in 2027.”
There are several big-name players who could be free agents in the summer of 2027, including Giannis Antetokounmpo, Anthony Davis, Donovan Mitchell and Trae Young. Luka Doncic is on the list as well, but it feels very likely the Lakers will give him major money to stay in Los Angeles.
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The Clippers could have their eye on one of those players — perhaps Antetokounmpo is the target if he’s unhappy with the way things go in Milwaukee — but all of them except Doncic would need to decline massive player options to hit the open market in two years.
Dealing away Powell and having Leonard and Harden’s contracts come off the books following the 2026-27 season could signal that the Clippers might already be looking to make a major splash in the future.
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