It was natural for Miami Heat fans to be excited about the Norman Powell trade when it was announced. However, the cold, hard truth about Powell is that he may just be a stopgap for the Heat, and it would be surprising if he were considered a long-term answer for the team.
Considering where the Heat are headed, and the fact that Powell is in the final year of his contract, it wouldn't be all that surprising if this was an extremely short marriage between the two.
Powell is looking for one last big payday before the end of his career, and, if this offseason is any indication, the Heat are seeking financial flexibility heading into the 2026 offseason. There aren't many scenarios in which their two paths cross each other after this year.
And that's not necessarily a bad thing.
Norman Powell could be the perfect bridge player for the Heat
In many ways, Powell and the Heat make perfect sense for each other right now. Even if it is just for one season. Powell is looking to showcase his talents in a bigger role, and the Heat are looking for a player that can offer them an offensive boost without a long-term financial commitment.
They're perfect for each other. That will likely change over the season, depending on how the Heat perform as a team, but that's probably expected on both sides.
The Heat and Powell could use each other for one season and get what they want from this year to put them in a position to capitalize on what's next in 2026. I'm sure there's a chance Powell can be re-signed, but even if it doesn't happen, it'll be hard to look back at this trade as a failure.
The Heat are clearly playing for a huge move in 2026, and they needed a Powell-like player to help them get through a gap year. If Powell buys into whatever role the Heat has for him this season, it's going to be difficult to envision him not also benefiting from this experiment when he hits the open market next season.
But this is something that Heat fans must come to grips with.
As strong as the move for Powell appears on paper, it doesn't feel as if this trade was done with much long-term expectation. Even if Powell emerges as a key piece for the Heat this season, fans shouldn't get that attached to him. He's almost certainly more of a stopgap than a long-term piece for the Heat.