Inside The Heat

Clippers fans, media lamenting what they lost to the Heat

Ethan J. Skolnick|
Brad Mills-Imagn Images

In this story:

Miami HeatLos Angeles Clippers

Let's give you the "real deal."

Bradley Beal wasn't acquired for Norman Powell.

Not directly, anyway.

The Los Angeles Clippers didn't get Beal from Phoenix when they traded Powell to the Miami Heat this past offseason, after Powell had been one of their top players last season, leading in scoring for a while until he slowed due to injury down the stretch.

The Clippers actually acquired John Collins from the Utah Jazz in an effort to bolster their frontcourt, as Powell went to the Heat, and Kevin Love and Kyle Anderson were sent from the Heat to the Jazz, who received other considerations.

But one reason the Clippers felt comfortable making that trade is they were aware that Beal could become available after a buyout. And there was reason to believe he would be a good buy, with the Clippers not needing to cover Beal's outrageous original salary. After all, Beal has been an All-Star; Powell never has. Beal just needed a change of scenery from playing third fiddle in Phoenix.

Right?

It's .... not exactly working out.

While Powell has scored more points in his first eight games than any Heat player ever has, Beal has been so dreadful that there's talk of reducing his minutes. Powell is averaging 24.5 points on 46 percent shooting (including 45.8 percent from three-point range) for the Heat.

Beal is averaging 8.2 points on 37.2 percent shooting (on 37 percent from three), but contributing nothing else, not defensively, and not in the rebound and assist columns, when he once -- back in Washington -- used to be more well-rounded.

This discrepancy hasn't caught the attention of countless Clippers fans, who have been lamenting Powell's loss on social media. One of ESPN's signature basketball podcasts, Hoop Collective, has made sure to mention it.

In colorful language.

Looking back now, the Heat got somewhat lucky that the Clippers fell into the trap of undervaluing what Powell provided, as other teams have before them. And that the Clippers didn't want to extend Powell, a decision the Heat must now make, though they seem inclined to do so.

But in the end, the Heat still needed to get the deal done. They initially wanted to include Haywood Highsmith, but the Clippers didn't bite, so the Heat sent him to Brooklyn instead to clear luxury tax and rotation space. And it was Love and Anderson who went out, in exchange for a legitimate scorer who has done nothing less at age 32 than change the vibes in the locker room and the ball and body movement on the court. The Heat are 6-2 when Powell plays.

Meanwhile, the Clippers are scuffling, 3-7 and facing the Nuggets next.

And Beal is hurt.

He's not the only one, though. So are many of the Clippers fans' feelings.

Published | Modified
Ethan J. Skolnick
ETHAN J. SKOLNICK

Ethan has covered all major sports -- in South Florida and beyond -- since 1996 and is one of the longest-tenured fully credentialed members of the Miami Heat. He has covered, in total, more than 30 NBA Finals, Super Bowls, World Series and Stanley Cup Finals. After working full-time for the Miami Herald, South Florida Sun-Sentinel, Palm Beach Post, Bleacher Report and several other outlets, he founded the Five Reasons Sports Network in 2019 and began hosting the Five on the Floor podcast as part of that network. The podcast is regularly among the most downloaded one-team focused NBA podcasts in the nation, and the network is the largest independent sports outlet in South Florida, by views, listens and social media reach. He has a B.A. from The Johns Hopkins University and an M.S. from Columbia University. TWITTER: @EthanJSkolnick and @5ReasonsSports EMAIL: fllscribe@gmail.com

Share on XFollow EthanJSkolnick
Home/News