With the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade finally completed, the rest of the dominoes will finally begin to fall in this NBA offseason. One immediate impact of the Giannis deal is the sudden availability of Norman Powell, who is no longer affordable for the Miami Heat as he heads into free agency seeking upwards of $20 million per year.
Powell, 34, is coming off a career year in Miami, with averages of 21.7 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.1 steals, and 0.2 blocks per game on 47.0% shooting and 38.0% shooting from three. He could have made a fitting teammate next to Giannis Antetokounmpo, but the Heat must now use what limited space they have to fill out the rest of the roster.
“We can probably take Norman Powell off this starting five,” said ESPN’s Shams Charania on the Pat McAfee Show. “The Heat are expecting him not to be there this offseason. There’s gonna be interest in him; other suitors are interested. Financially, it’s going to be very difficult to keep him. They could participate in a sign-and-trade with Norman Powell, but the Heat are operating as if he’s going to end up elsewhere. They know they have to fill this roster out. My understanding, talking to people in Miami, shooting, shooting, and shooting.”
Powell, along with big man Bam Adebayo, played a major role for the Heat this past season, often carrying their offense during critical moments. Sadly, he won’t have the chance to finish what he started in Miami, but Powell could enjoy similar success on the Pistons, a team that’s known to be searching for upgrades in the backcourt.
“Sources say that the Pistons indeed intend to add Powell, who is coming off his first All-Star season, to their list of potential offseason targets as they look to add shooting and playmaking in support of star guard Cade Cunningham,” reported Marc Stein on Tuesday.
While several teams could be ideal landing spots for Powell, the Pistons make the most sense. With the All-Star guard seeking at least $28-30 million annually, Detroit could make it work by offering a package that includes Isaiah Stewart and Caris LeVert. Alternatively, if the Heat prioritize shooting, they could bring back Duncan Robinson, who was the Pistons’ best perimeter shooter in 2025-26.
As a team that just finished first in the East standings, the Pistons don’t need much to compete with the likes of the Knicks, Celtics, and Heat (who just acquired Giannis). They have Cade Cunningham locked in, and GM Troy Weaver is committed to signing both Ausar Thompson and Jalen Duren to massive contract extensions this summer. All that’s left is to fill out the rest of the roster and address the flaws that led to their defeat in the East Semifinals. Powell could do that, and so much more for the Pistons.
Meanwhile, in Miami, the loss of Powell would hurt, but it’d be a necessary sacrifice to maintain flexibility and spread the talent pool. By trading Powell, the Heat can maintain some flexibility to build around Giannis while ensuring they don’t lose their top perimeter scorer for nothing. Between Giannis, Bam Adebayo, and Andrew Wiggins, the Heat have a good foundation, but trading Powell will equip them to take the next step and upgrade the supporting cast.
Ultimately, only time will tell how this saga ends for Powell. After the best season of his career, he was hoping to be rewarded with a massive new payday, but he never imagined it’d come with a move. The only hope for Norman is that he lands in a favorable situation, and the Pistons are arguably one of the best spots there is.
