As the Los Angeles Clippers continue their early-season slide, the impact of the trade that sent Norman Powell to the Miami Heat and brought in John Collins from the Utah Jazz has become increasingly difficult to ignore. Following a 129–101 blowout loss to the Orlando Magic on Thursday night, the Clippers dropped to 4–11, marking their third straight defeat on a grueling seven-game road trip.
The trade, part of a three-team deal with Miami and Utah, has significantly favored the Heat, who now sit at 9–6 and hold the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference. Powered by one of the league’s most efficient offenses, averaging 123.6 points per game, Miami has flourished with Powell’s arrival. The 32-year-old guard has elevated his game even further, building on his All-Star-level performance from last season with a career-best start in South Florida.
Through 12 games, Powell is averaging 25.4 points, four rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.2 steals per game while shooting 49.5% from the field, 47% from three-point range, and 93.3% at the free throw line. He’s playing 31.1 minutes per night and is on the verge of becoming just the 10th player in NBA history to achieve the elusive 50/50/90 shooting split. Of the nine players who have done so, seven are either Hall of Famers or on a Hall of Fame trajectory.
As Norman Powell thrives with Heat, John Collins struggles to meet expectations with Clippers
In Miami’s recent win over the Golden State Warriors, Powell finished with 25 points, six rebounds, three assists, and a steal, shooting 10-for-14 from the field and 4-for-7 from beyond the arc in just 28 minutes. A ClutchPoints graphic circulating on social media noted Powell has scored more points than Anthony Edwards, made more three-pointers than Kevin Durant, boasts a better free throw percentage than Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and is shooting a higher field goal percentage than Stephen Curry.
Norman Powell is playing like an All-Star, plain and simple.
When the 11th-year pro out of UCLA failed to make the All-Star Game last season, he was pissed.
And he had a case.
However, after being traded from the Clippers to the Heat this offseason, he's leaving nothing to… pic.twitter.com/ZA5CuavHEp
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) November 21, 2025
Meanwhile, Collins is struggling to make a consistent impact for the Clippers. The 28-year-old forward is averaging 11.7 points and 4.7 rebounds per game — his lowest totals since his rookie season in 2017–18. He is shooting 50.4% from the field and just 32.4% from three across 15 games, six of which he has started, while averaging 25.3 minutes per contest.
In the loss to Orlando, Collins registered nine points, four rebounds, a block, and a steal while shooting 4-for-8 in 25 minutes. His production has failed to meet expectations, especially given the steep cost of losing Powell — a proven scorer and leader on and off the court.
The Clippers will look to halt their skid with a Saturday afternoon matchup against the Charlotte Hornets, who also hold a 4–11 record. Meanwhile, the Heat begin a short two-game road trip with a Friday night contest against the Chicago Bulls (8–6), as Powell continues to thrive in his new environment. As the disparity between the two sides of the trade grows, the decision to part with Powell is already shaping up to be a costly misstep for Los Angeles.
