There may not be many suitors to steal Norman Powell from the Trail Blazers
Free agency in the NBA is all about timing. Clubs have to plan their contracts carefully to ensure that they free up enough cap space for when big fish free agents hit the open market. Players sometimes have to plan their contract length to end when there will be viable buyers with big checks waiting.
The COVID-19 pandemic slowed the meteoric rise of NBA cap space and the amount of spenders next year is below average.
According to Spotrac, half the league will enter the offseason with less than $2 million in cap space, with 12 teams being in the red for the upcoming season, the Trail Blazers included. Only 9 teams will have over $10 million. Only three teams have the means to create a max slot, the San Antonio Spurs, New York Knicks, and Oklahoma City Thunder, none of which fit Norm’s timeline.
There’s only one team that realistically can create the space to sign Powell and has a roster strong enough to compete for a title if he joins: the Dallas Mavericks.
Though the Mavericks could certainly use Norm’s secondary ball-handling, defense, and shot making ability, just like any other team in the league, it’d be unwise of them to spend their money on a loaded position. Dallas is stacked on the wings with Luka Doncic, Tim Hardaway Jr., Dorian Finney-Smith, Josh Richardson, Jalen Brunson, and Josh Green all capable of manning the flanks.
While Powell would be an upgrade over any of those options, it just doesn’t make sense for Dallas to sign another wing without shipping off some of their own depth first.
Unless the Mavericks make a major move, a different team sheds salary to swing a deal for Powell, or Norm takes a significant pay cut, it’s hard to envision him playing elsewhere next season.