The Miami Heat's upcoming decision on whether to extend Norman Powell or not will go a long way in making or breaking their future. In the final year of his contract, the Heat doesn't have much time to figure out what the plan is moving forward for the newly acquired guard.
With much of the NBA's offseason action in the rearview mirror, the Heat's decision on Powell is just one massive decision they'll have to make. The other revolves around Tyler Herro's extension window, which begins October 1.
But, at least for a minute, let's put the Herro decision on the back-burners.
The Heat will likely wait out the year to make an ultimate decision on Powell, but it will largely dictate how the team proceeds forward with Herro, especially if they end up waiting on his extension too.
Where Norman Powell fits with the Heat
We first have to figure out where Powell fits on the Heat. What role is he going to play this season, and will he excel at it? Is Powell a starter? Is he going to return as a sixth man? It's tough to tell this far out from the start of the season, but that will almost certainly reveal just how much the Heat values him.
If I had to guess, I'd expect the initial plan to be to bring Powell off the bench. Head coach Erik Spoelstra is one who likes to experiment with different lineups and roles for players. Powell starting the season as the sixth man should come as no surprise.
Whether he stays there all year long or not is the big question.
Why does this matter? Well, it's simple. There's a big difference if the Heat chooses to extend Powell as a starter or a sixth man.
Has Norman Powell hit his ceiling?
Of course, the risk with extending Powell is the idea that he's already hit his ceiling. At 32 years old, there's a chance we've already seen the best of Powell. Coming off a borderline All-Star season, the Heat are clearly hoping that isn't the case.
But Father Time could have other plans.
And if Powell has already hit his ceiling, the Heat must tread carefully in their desire to re-sign him. Maybe a shorter-term deal makes some sense, but the last thing Miami needs is to lock itself up with a bad contract.
For as good as Powell was this past season, there's no guarantee he'll be able to string together many more seasons like that. And that's part of what makes the decision to extend Powell or not so risky.
The offseason may be pretty much over, but the Heat has some big decisions yet to be made that will have a huge impact on both their immediate and long-term future outlook. And Powell is at the center of it all.