The Miami Heat caught the rest of the league off guard when they acquired Norman Powell from the LA Clippers in a three-team deal. The bigger mystery may be revolving around not only his future with the team, but also the role he's going to play. There's one scenario in which the Heat will ask Powell to return to a bench role.
How he responds to that, if that's the plan, will be fascinating to watch unfold.
From a basketball perspective, I'm not sure how an effective backcourt consisting of Tyler Herro and Powell would work. Logistically speaking, it just makes more sense (to me) for Heat coach Erik Spoelstra to stagger their minutes as much as he can.
They'll probably both be on the floor in clutch situations, but from a natural starting 5 perspective, Powell seems like the prototypical sixth man for the team.
Why the Heat would bring Powell off the bench
Even though Powell had a great season a year ago, there's an argument to be made that his best work throughout his career has come off the bench. That's the role he's played the majority of the time. With the Heat, especially with the way their roster is currently built, he could fit right into that sixth man role.
Considering the Heat ranked 25th last year in bench scoring, there's a natural need that Powell could theoretically fill. Even if he isn't the 20-point, highly efficient player he was a year ago, he'd still emerge as a huge upgrade for the team off the bench.
And as the Heat sorts out Herro's future (whether that comes with a contract extension or not), Powell could be a consistent force for the team as the sixth man, while also giving them some options and flexibility heading into the future.
Would Powell want to return to a bench role?
The hope is that Powell will embrace whatever role he's given in Miami. In a contract year, it'd be in his best interest to do that. At the same time, there's also a big difference in starter money and sixth man money.
While it may seem like Powell would be cool coming off the bench, which could very well be the case, there's also plenty of value in him proving once again that he can be a capable starter. If nothing else, that's another aspect to keep in mind heading into next season.