Miami Heat fans have known for a while that the trade price the team paid for Norman Powell this summer was an absurd bargain. NBA insiders could sense that, too.
Still, it's been encouraging to see the first few games of the new campaign provide proof of concept. Powell looks every bit like the All-Star candidate that the Los Angeles Clippers witnessed this past season.
The same All-Star candidate that Miami somehow acquired for the deeply (and bizarrely) discounted cost of Kyle Anderson and Kevin Love over the offseason. While the Clippers clearly had some reservations about Powell's impending payday (unrestricted free agency awaits him after this season), the Heat made the wise move of giving him another chance to show he's worth it.
And if the early signs from this season are any indication, he absolutely, unequivocally is.
Improbable as it may seem, Powell might be breaking out again.
For those previously unfamiliar with Powell's game, this is his 11th season in the league. His 33rd birthday will arrive in May.
Players aren't supposed to be ascending at this stage. That's what made his 2024-25 breakthrough so jarring to see. Because not only did his scoring output reach previously unseen heights (21.8), he managed to up his volume while also outperforming his career shooting rates from the field (48.4 percent) and from three (41.8).
Well, at the risk of overreacting to a three-game sample, his numbers are almost all climbing once again. His point production has reached 24. His three-point percentage is an even 50. The 6'3" scoring guard is even snagging 7.3 rebounds a night. Oh, and his 2.7 assists are another personal best.
"He's a crafty, veteran, skilled offensive talent," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra raved to reporters. "... He just finds a way to get in a bunch of random situations. And I just think that's, those are the hardest guys to scout and scheme for."
Powell isn't the only reason Miami has managed a 2-1 start without Tyler Herro—a resurgent Jaime Jaquez Jr. waves hello—but he has been the biggest driving force behind that success. He also looks like a major key in determining how long the Heat can keep this up.
While his role figures to change whenever Herro can come back, Powell will obviously be a prominent part of this offense. And if the Heat can continue exceeding expectations on offense (a not insignificant if, by the way), this team can legitimately dream about shaking things up in a wide-open, injury-impacted Eastern Conference.
How Miami managed to add a talent of his caliber at a trade cost this cheap is a major win for the front office, and one that, frankly, just might wind up impacting the championship chase.