Norman Powell’s stay in Miami is already over.
After one All-Star season with the Heat, Powell has reportedly agreed to a two-year, $45 million deal with the Chicago Bulls, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. The agreement was completed this morning, Charania reported, and it gives Powell roughly the same annual pay he was making in Miami - just not the kind of number the Heat could match as they work to finalize the trade for former Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo.
This does not appear to be a sign-and-trade, despite what many Heat fans were hoping for. Miami is also coming off an agreement to extend another starter from last season, Andrew Wiggins, after Wiggins opted into his $30.1 salary for next season.
Powell’s exit closes the book on a lone season that started with a bargain-bin acquisition from the Los Angeles Clippers for Kyle Anderson and Kevin Love. He turned that into his first All-Star nod, posting 21.7 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 58 games.
For a while, he fit right into Miami’s new offensive setup and looked comfortable in Heat Culture. But the finish line told a different story.
Injuries piled up, his fit alongside the now-departed Tyler Herro got shaky, and his role began to shrink as the season went on.
The Bulls, meanwhile, are getting exactly what they need after moving several guards last season: a proven scorer for the backcourt.
For Miami, the loss stings even if it was expected. Powell and Herro were the team’s top two scorers last season, with Herro at 20.5, but the pairing never really clicked the way the Heat wanted as Erik Spoelstra moved away from it later in the year. The new offense is expected to run through the attention Antetokounmpo draws, with shooters spaced around the double-teams that come his way.
The Heat did make a start on the shooting problem by signing Tim Hardaway Jr. on the first day of free agency last night. Hardaway Jr. hit 40% from three last season with the Denver Nuggets, but Miami still has work to do if it wants to feel settled on the perimeter. Multiple reports say the Heat plan to keep addressing that need as free agency continues.
And there’s still plenty of time for the picture to change. Nothing is final until July 6, and GM Andy Elisburg can still shuffle money around. There’s also the lingering possibility of LeBron James, who has a return to the Heat among his options.
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