Norman Powell has now appeared in 7 games for the Portland Trail Blazers. Let’s break down the start of his Blazers career.
When the Blazers traded Gary Trent Jr and Rodney Hood for Powell, they had a mini reset. They took a non-effective Hood out of the rotation, and combined his minutes with Trent’s, and gave those to Powell.
This trade was controversial with fans and NBA media alike when it was first announced. The young Trent was a Blazers fan favorite who stepped up big in 2020 when injuries ravaged the team.
But Trent was about to get paid in restricted free agency, and the Blazers needed to get off Hood. By swapping those two for Powell, they brought in a guard who was similar to Trent but who they probably got assurance on in re-signing next year.
Trent is 22 and about to get huge offers in RFA, while Powell can opt out in 2021 free agency and negotiate a new deal. When we talk about assurances, there may have been an agreement from Powell’s agent and the Blazers that he would re-sign for a certain amount in the off-season.
Breaking down Norman Powell’s first 7 games for the Portland Trail Blazers
In terms of his fit and play, Powell is a better option for the Blazers right now.
And in his first six games, we have seen this great fit.
Before the game against the Utah Jazz, Powell had the following stats for the Blazers through his first seven games.
17.3 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.9 steals
44.7 percent from the field, 40.5 percent from three, 80 percent from the line.
Powell isn’t a great passer, but he is superior to Trent in this regard. He is a more versatile defender because of his six-foot-eleven wingspan, and he has shown this already with the 1.9 steals he has in his first seven games.
Powell may not guard the point of attack as well as Trent, but he can guard bigger wing threats because of his length and strength.
Powell has also shown his ability to get to the rim, and the line. The Blazers don’t have a wing player who can finish so well at the rim while also drawing fouls. He gives the Blazers attack something different if their jump shots aren’t falling.
His other obvious strength, is his three-point shooting. Powell is already hitting on 40 percent of his threes while in town. This will be the 4th year out of six in his career that he has hit 39.9 percent or more of his threes. Powell is a great spot up and off the dribble shooter, and his shot-making has helped the Blazers to a four and three record since he joined the team.
It remains to be seen whether a three-guard lineup can work in the playoffs, but Powell remains a great bench option nonetheless.
Powell may take a little longer to integrate into the Blazers offense fully, but his varied skill set and toughness will be assets to this team. He has championship experience that will help when it comes to playoff time.
Powell is a better option for the Blazers right now than Gary Trent Jr. The Western Conference race is just heating up; we will see just how good this fit is in the coming weeks.