Brooklyn Nets: Norman Powell could be an underrated game-changing trade target
By Mike Luciano
The Brooklyn Nets are still looking for avenues to improve this team ahead of the postseason despite the fact that they have a ton of resources tied in Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden. A potential option could be calling up the Toronto Raptors about a trade for Norman Powell.
The veteran is averaging 19.5 points per game, and his production alongside Kyle Lowry and Pascal Siakam could, in theory, have helped the Raptors push towards the postseason. Instead, the Raptors have lost nine of their last 10 games, including a brutal defeat at the hands of the Houston Rockets.
The Raptors might turn into sellers at the deadline, as their unlucky season has put both Powell and Lowry on the block. While point guard is taken care off for the Nets, GM Sean Marks is always in the market for more wing depth, and making a game-changing trade for Powell isn’t out of the question.
On Brian Windhorst’s “The Hoop Collective” podcast, Powell was mentioned as a potential Nets trade target, with guard Spencer Dinwiddie potentially heading the other way to make the money match up. With all three of Brooklyn’s superstars dealing with injuries or time off, the Nets could replace their production by adding Powell.
The Brooklyn Nets have shown interest in trading for Norman Powell, per ESPN.
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) March 23, 2021
A Norman Powell trade would get the Brooklyn Nets an underrated shooter.
Powell’s 19.5 points per game is actually hiding how lethal he has been of late. Since the Raptors’ Jan. 22 win against the Miami Heat, Powell is averaging 23.6 points per game on 52% shooting, 44% from 3-point range, and 86% from the line. This includes a 43-point game against the Detroit Pistons. Make no mistake about it, Powell is on fire.
His splits as a starter compared to his numbers as a reserve are startling (22.8 PPG vs 10.5 PPG), and that could factor into where and how he’s slotted into the lineup. Powell could likely play a very similar role to what Joe Harris does right now, as they two have nearly identical playing styles.
Powell is an average defender, meaning that Brooklyn’s issues guarding the perimeter would likely be unchanged by trading for the former UCLA star. However, he’s been white-hot of late, and Brooklyn could use this chance to deny their contending rivals the chance to secure his services.
On top of that, he could come off the books when he inevitably declines his player option next season, which aligns with the team’s unwillingness to inherit salary beyond the 2020-2021 season. Don’t look now, but this could be a low-key perfect trade for both parties.
