Norman Powell, coming off one of the best seasons of his career, could end up being an unfortunate casualty of the Miami Heat's blockbuster move for Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Now that the Heat are starting to build out their roster around Bam Adebayo and Giannis, there's a growing belief that Powell's days in a Heat uniform could be over.
ESPN's Brian Windhorst, Shams Charania, and a report from Hoops Hype all suggest that Powell is all but a goner for the Heat. Interestingly enough, one of the teams that could have an interest in swiping Powell right from under the Heat's watch is the Detroit Pistons.
It remains to be seen whether Powell will leave outright in free agency or if he'll be able to work a sign and trade with the Heat's help. However, at this point, it does feel as if Powell's time in Miami is quickly coming to an end.
Norman Powell's loss will hurt the Giannis build
Even though Powell's All-Star season with the Heat came to a rocky end, there's no question that they're going to miss his scoring punch if he does leave. In theory, Powell would've been an excellent fit next to Giannis and Bam.
As the roster currently stands, the Heat don't necessarily have a dynamic guard who can score at will on the roster. That's where it would've made some sense to bring Powell back. But because he is coming off that All-Star season, there's a very reasonable chance that he's going to be seeking a big payday.
At 33 years old, it could very well be his last. And you have to respect that. The Heat are not in a position (anymore) where they can afford that. And that's OK. But if that's the route Powell does end up going, it will be interesting to see what Miami could possibly get back in a sign-and-trade.
Because even if the Heat just gets a shooter from the Pistons, perhaps a player like Duncan Robinson, that could also be a huge development for Miami. At this point, perhaps more than anything, the Heat needs shooting and bodies. And if they can get both with one move, all the better.
Despite securing Giannis, the Heat still have a ton of questions about how they're going to successfully build out their roster. And over the next week or two, we're going to start to see what options may or may not be on the table for Miami.
At least for now, all signs do seem as if Powell is no longer one of them. Something drastically can change but, for now, it would be surprising if Powell were back in Miami next season.
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