The Los Angeles Clippers have struggled to make a title push despite all their moves over the years. Now, they hope to end that rut. Some believed that this move during the 2025 NBA offseason was the right move. Meanwhile, others believe the Clippers' offseason moves should have focused on improving their offense.
After the Clippers' offseason moves, the team has the ninth-best odds to win the NBA Title. Still, this decision to trade one of their best scorers could come back to bite them. This is a player who helped them immensely whenever they needed a player to pick them up when they needed it.
The Clippers decided to do something after suffering one of the most humiliating losses in NBA playoff history. Therefore, they traded one of their best scorers to get slightly younger. By sending Norman Powell away in a trade, the organization decided they needed to shake things up. Here is why it will come back to haunt them.
Clippers Trade Norman Powell in the 2025 NBA offseason
The Clippers traded Powell to the Miami Heat in a major three-team deal that saw them get John Collins back. Overall, they will get back a player who averaged 19 points and 8.2 rebounds per game while shooting 52.7 percent from the field, including 39.9 percent from the triples. The team felt they needed to get bigger.
Powell was one of the better bench scorers in the league and was elite at the wing position. Overall, there are only a few players who can match his combination of volume and efficiency. After the Clippers traded him, they removed one of the more consistent sources of offense off the bench.
Powell was the perfect fit for the system the Clippers ran. Additionally, he played well off stars like Kawhi Leonard, Bradley Beal, and James Harden. What made him work was the fact that he did not need the ball to be successful. Also, he was very good at spacing the floor. When he did shoot, it was often with a quick release. Powell was also versatile, being able to play either the shooting guard or small forward.
Trading Powell for Collins means they will now have a big man who cannot create space on the floor and does not create plays off the dribble. Also, he is redundant off Ivica Zubac and Brooks Lopez. Currently, the Clippers have an entire starting lineup that relies on dominating with the basketball.
Neither player is elite on defense, but Powell was reliable in man-to-man battles. Overall, it was mostly a lateral move for the Clippers on that side. Powell's contract was good, too, as he still had $18 million for another year. Significantly, that was a good deal for someone who averaged nearly 15 points every game. Collins has not had that efficacy since leaving Atlanta.
Powell also had incredible chemistry with Leonard and Harden. Furthermore, he was a very dependable scorer who could take over when Leonard and Harden were ineffective or out of the lineup. Because of the Clippers' injuries, Powell was very valuable as a safety net. With him gone, that safety net is gone.
What the Clippers could have done
The Clippers could have gotten a big man without sacrificing Powell. Yes, they already have Harden and Beal in the backcourt. But the Clippers could have sent another player or a draft pick.
It was apparent that the organization needed a forward to balance out their lineup. Therefore, the Clippers' offseason moves focused on getting one in any way possible. They could have found a way to get a cheaper option. Dorian Finney-Smith was an option before he signed with the Houston Rockets.
Did they do enough in the 2025 NBA offseason?
The Clippers' offseason moves aimed to prevent a Game 7 blowout loss from happening again. Whether that is what happens remains to be seen. For now, the organization feels they have done enough.
Harden and Beal will pace the backcourt while Leonard and Collins are the starting forwards. Of course, Zubac holds down the middle. The question now remains about what depth Los Angeles has off the bench. Instead of Powell, the Clippers now will have veteran Chris Paul come off the bench. Kris Dunn is the other guard. Is this enough to compensate for the loss of Powell?
There will be some questions lingering as the team heads into the 2025 NBA season. Now, they will no longer have that reliable player who plays off the ball. The Clippers will not have a player they could depend on to help them make that comeback when they need it. For now, the trade looks good in some aspects. But the Clippers could come back to regret it if the chemistry does not gel.
