Another year, another trade for the LA Clippers following a game-winner. This time, LA has traded within their own conference. On Friday, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported a trade between the Clippers and Portland Trail Blazers that would send Norman Powell and Robert Covington to LA and Eric Bledsoe, Justise Winslow, and Keon Johnson to Portland.
The Clippers got the best player in the trade in Norman Powell.
Powell was in the midst of the best year of his career, averaging 18.7 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.0 steal per game on 45.6 percent from the field and 40.6 percent from three. The 28-year old guard is having an incredible shooting season, making 46.4 percent of his shots from 10-16 feet, 46.9 percent from 16 feet to the three-point line, and 40.6 percent from three.
The former UCLA guard has done a good job putting pressure on the rim so far this season. 26 percent of Norman Powell's shots have come within three feet, and the downhill attacks are something the Clippers will need with both Eric Bledsoe and Justise Winslow out of the picture.
“Norm is a two-way player who can score from all three levels, spread the floor with his shooting and guard multiple positions with his length and versatility,” said Clippers President of Basketball Operations Lawrence Frank after the trade was made official. “He was part of a championship team in Toronto before joining the Blazers. Norm has SoCal roots, having grown up in San Diego and starred at UCLA, and we’re thrilled to bring him back.”
Beyond just the talent that Powell possesses, the Clippers will have Powell signed through the 2025-26 season at about $18 million per season. If the Clippers deem another move necessary, a move involving him could work. Otherwise, look for Powell to be a great No. 3 option behind Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, when healthy.
Overall, the Clippers get a resounding ‘A+' for their acquisition of Powell.
The Clippers also landed Robert Covington, a floor spacing forward who can play the three, the four, or even the small-ball five. So far this season, Covington is averaging 7.6 points, 5.7 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1.3 blocks per game
Robert Covington is a career 35.7 percent three-point shooter, and while he's fully capable of spacing the floor out and making defenses pay, his real value comes from his defensive prowess and versatility.
The 31-year old forward has been unable to stick with a team for very long, and has now been traded four times since 2018. The Clippers do have his rights, so they'll be able to pay him more than any other team in order to retain him.
“Robert is a proven vet, a versatile wing and an excellent team defender who also stretches the floor with his shooting,” Lawrence Frank added.
Overall, the Clippers get a ‘B+' from me for acquiring Covington.
In the trade, the Clippers sent away Eric Bledsoe, Justise Winslow, Keon Johnson, and a 2025 second-round pick from the Detroit Pistons.
Eric Bledsoe helped the Clippers significantly this season as the secondary point guard behind Reggie Jackson. At times, Bledsoe was even better than Jackson at attacking the rim and creating opportunities from there.
Bledsoe was the only player to appear in all 54 games for the Clippers this season, averaging 9.9 points, 3.4 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 1.3 steals per game on 42.1 percent shooting from the field.
“Eric is a model teammate and was a rock for us this season: running the offense, defending the ball and attacking the rim,” Frank said of Bledsoe. “Every night, he answered the call, helping us remain competitive even when shorthanded.”
Justise Winslow was really coming into his own over the last month of the season. As the backup center for the Clippers at times, Winslow helped orchestrate a few of the comebacks that we've seen over the last few weeks.
In 37 appearances this season, Winslow averaged 4.2 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.4 assists in just 12.9 minutes of action.
“Justise’s role often changed, depending on circumstances, but his preparation, professionalism and upbeat spirit never wavered,” Frank said. “He too played an integral part in the competitiveness of the group with his playmaking and defense.”
Lastly, the Clippers traded away their latest first round pick Keon Johnson. Selected with the 21st pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, the 19-year old Johnson was clearly a project the Clippers developmental staff hoped they could develop as the season went on.
In 15 appearances for LA, Johnson averaged 3.5 points and 1.4 rebounds in just nine minutes per contest. He spent the bulk of his time with the franchise's G League affiliate, the Agua Caliente Clippers, where he averaged 15.4 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 3.1 assists in 31.1 minutes across seven games.
“Keon is an incredible athlete, with a bright future, who demonstrated his potential on the NBA and G League stages. He has a long and promising career ahead,” said Lawrence Frank.
OVERALL TRADE GRADE FOR CLIPPERS: ‘A'
Click here for trade grades from the Blazers perspective.
The Clippers made the deal official on Friday afternoon, just a few hours after news of the deal was initially reported. As ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported, however, both the Clippers and Blazers will remain active on the trade market as they pursue deals that could help their respective teams.
https://twitter.com/_Talkin_NBA/status/1489692643051425792
Whether or not Kawhi Leonard (ACL recovery) and/or Paul George (UCL) return at some point this season, the Clippers have positioned themselves to compete this season and beyond by acquiring Norman Powell and Robert Covington.
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