In a great piece of business, the Portland Trail Blazers have re-signed free agent guard Norman Powell to a five-year $90 million dollar deal.
Around four hours after Free Agency began, NBA Insider Adrian Wojnarowski broke the news that Powell was headed back to Portland.
Free agent G Norman Powell has agreed to a five-year, $90M deal to return to the Portland Trail Blazers, his agent Thaddeus Foucher of @Wasserman tells ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) August 3, 2021
This was the first and most important move in terms of the assets that the Blazers have. Outside of a major trade for a guy like CJ McCollum, bringing back Powell was the biggest move of the off-season.
Powell is a 28-year-old shooting guard who had spent his entire career on the Toronto Raptors prior to the trade that sent him to the Blazers for Rodney Hood and Gary Trent Jr.
With shooting guard Tim Hardaway Jr agreeing to a four-year $74 million deal, the shooting guard market was set. The details of the per year haven’t been revealed yet, but getting Powell for 18 per year, is excellent work when you consider his market was said to be around 20 – 25 million pee year.
Also, by re-signing Powell, the Blazers now give themselves a chance to trade CJ McCollum.
Powell is a better fit than McCollum with Damian Lillard, and with almost $90 million in salary cap committed to three guards, there’s a chance that the Blazers decide to pair Powell with Lillard. and send McCollum out in a trade to bring in forward help.
My personal opinion is that Neil Olshey won’t make major changes, and will instead roll with the three-guard lineup that performed well in the regular season and bombed in the playoffs. The second day of free agency should provide more clarity around potential moves.