Inside The Heat

Is There Danger In Extending Norman Powell Early?

The Miami Heat like their new guard a lot, and may keep him beyond his current contract
Ethan J. Skolnick|
Apr 26, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Clippers guard Norman Powell (24) heads down court after a 3-point basket in the first half of game four of round one of the 2024 NBA Playoffs against the Denver Nuggets at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Apr 26, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Clippers guard Norman Powell (24) heads down court after a 3-point basket in the first half of game four of round one of the 2024 NBA Playoffs against the Denver Nuggets at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

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Miami Heat

The Miami Heat haven't even had Norman Powell in training camp yet, let alone a game, but they seem to like what they've seen behind the scenes.

Powell, acquired from the Los Angeles Clippers for Kevin Love and Kyle Anderson this offseason, has endeared himself with his work ethic, which is embodied by his "Understand the Grind" motto.

We reported on the Five on the Floor podcast last month that the Miami Heat could look to extend Powell's contract early, before it expires at the end of this season. Now the Miami Herald is saying that could come soon as well, though maybe not until after the season has started.

So would this make sense?

Well, it does if they don't want to lose him next offseason, especially if he repeats or exceeds his breakout 2045-25 performance.

But there are some perils to it.

For starters, he's 32. That makes him the oldest current member of the Heat, and one of only two (Andrew Wiggins is the other) in the likely starting lineup. The Heat do want veteran leadership and it appears he can provide some, but will his body break down as he ages?

Also, there's the implications to the Heat's salary structure. They are currently trying to avoid the repeater tax, and reset their books. But any big contract puts them closer to tax and apron lines.

And finally, there's the optics. Tyler Herro, a similar but younger player with more time in the organization, is looking for a massive extension, close to twice what Powell might command. How will it play if Powell gets paid before the guy who just made an All-Star team for Miami?

These are all issues we discussed on a recent Five on the Floor episode.

What's your thought? Do it soon? Wait until later? And what's a fair price?

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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

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