The Miami Heat recently acquired Norman Powell as part of a 3-team trade. Powell, 32, is coming off a strong season for the LA Clippers, where he shot an impressive 41.8% from behind the 3-point line.
During a recent episode of his “Time Out with Dwyane Wade” podcast, the Heat legend shared his thoughts on his former team’s latest addition.
“At this point of Norman Powell’s career, Miami is the perfect place for him to get to that level that he was on the cusp of,” Wade said. “That All-Star level, being one of the best players. Like he said, once Paul George left, it opened up the opportunities more for him and he shined.”
Wade continued.
“Just a great competitor out there on the floor. That’s what Miami loves — Miami loves competitors, and Norman Powell is that. That’s another step in the direction that you want to see Miami turn to get this thing back on track.”
Powell replaces Duncan Robinson, who signed with the Detroit Pistons earlier this season. However, unlike Robinson, Powell brings reliable defense and multi-level scoring to the table. He has the potential to be a highly influential addition to Erik Spoelstra’s rotation.
Norman Powell Pleased to Land With Heat
During an introductory news conference with Heat media on July 9, Powell expressed his excitement about playing alongside Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro.
“I’m really excited,” Powell said. “I was competing against them throughout the years, having the conversations on and off the court with Bam in passing and things like that. I like what they’re building…They compete every single night. No matter who’s healthy, who’s in or out of the lineup. They’re scrappy, they’re gritty and they’re competitive.”
Powell continued.
“…They’re very versatile, too. Bam can play multiple positions, can attack in a multitude of ways, defensively, can switch, can defend different positions, protect the rim, and is really athletic. Tyler Herro, he’s great off the ball, on the ball, scoring, facilitating. I think he did a great job this year getting assists, getting his teammates involved, and figuring out when to score, when to be aggressive.”
Powell will likely slot straight into Miami’s starting rotation. He’s an experienced veteran who can help improve the team from the opening day of the season. He will, however, need to adapt to a new offensive and defensive system. As such, he may need a little time before he’s able to showcase his best basketball.
Heat Could Target Russell Westbrook
If Pat Riley is still looking for some fresh faces ahead of next season, exploring the opportunity to bring Russell Westbrook to South Beach should be high on his priority list.
In a recent article for Bleacher Report, Greg Swartz highlighted the Heat as a potential landing spot for the former MVP.
“Although he’s 36 and far from a perfect player at this stage in his career, there’s no doubting that Westbrook can still bring the juice to a team’s scoring attack,” Swartz wrote. “…Westbrook would join a guard rotation that features Tyler Herro, Davion Mitchell, Norman Powell and rookie Kasparas Jakučionis, giving Miami a dynamic playmaker that can still get downhill and attack a defense. With making a playoff run still very much the goal, Westbrook can keep the seat warm for a year while Jakučionis learns the NBA game.”
Westbrook is currently an unrestricted free agent. He will likely be available on a veteran minimum deal. If Miami needs an additional boost at the guard position, it could do a lot worse than acquiring Westbrook on a short-term deal. Nevertheless, Powell’s addition will go down as the marquee move of the summer for the franchise.
In truth, it could ultimately prove to be a masterstroke.
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