No one appreciates (or finds value) underrated players like the Miami Heat. As Max Kellerman points out, it's one of the truths that the Heat have quickly realized with Norman Powell that the LA Clippers, for one reason or another, didn't want to believe. It's that Powell was an important part of LA's culture, and they failed to realize that, gifting him to the Heat, who are now reaping those same benefits.
I don't think it's a coincidence that Powell was on the Clippers last season, and they were good. He's no longer on the team, and all of a sudden, it's as if they're missing that glue-guy. Powell is now in Miami, and everything is seemingly clicking for them.
Powell is that one variable that has changed both the Clippers and Heat, and that truth is starting to become difficult to ignore.
Norman Powell was unappreciated in LA
As Kellerman says, it's that idea that second-round picks are continually undervalued - even when they do find some success in the NBA. LA was so quick to push Powell aside for the "big names" of John Collins and Bradley Beal.
That swap has been pretty bad for the Clippers.
On the other hand, the Heat jumped at the opportunity to land Powell, essentially for free. And that's something the Heat have thrived at, sometimes even to a fault. Miami doesn't like to give away talent; the Clippers so easily did.
Miami saw an opportunity with Powell, one that perhaps few others did, and they're now excelling with him on the roster.
But this is nothing new for the Heat. They're a team that tries to find value where few others are looking. And over the last few years, they've done that with second-round picks and undrafted players.
The Heat has a long list of successes in developing players that not many other teams would waste resources on. Nevertheless, it's led to the success stories of Caleb Martin, Duncan Robinson, Max Strus, Hassan Whiteside, Pelle Larsson, Dru Smith, and now Powell.
Miami can't take full credit for Powell's development, but he is enjoying arguably the best season of his career in a Heat uniform.
The Clippers will never admit it, but their actions speak for themselves. They didn't value Powell the way the Heat are doing so now. And that's at least one of the big reasons why Miami is sitting as a top 3 seed in the Eastern Conference standings and why the Clippers are one of the most disappointing teams in the Western Conference.