.jpg)
52 minutes ago
2
The Miami Heat are expected to be a big player in the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade sweepstakes this offseason.
But regardless of what happens there, the Heat also have to get things done with their top free agent, the talented scorer Norman Powell.
Powell should receive a solid deal somewhere after continuing to show he can put the ball in the basket, and the good news for the Heat is they seem like a logical place for him to remain.
ESPN's Bobby Marks listed only the Heat as his "best fit" for Powell in a new article on Friday, and Powell's contract could even help in any kind of scenario where the Heat do get Antetokounmpo in a trade with the Bucks.
"With a starting salary of $20 million, Miami would be able to re-sign Powell, swing a trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo and retain enough flexibility to fill out their depth using part of their $15 million non-tax midlevel exception," Marks writes.
MORE: Bronny James' golf swing makes his dad look bad
His full projection for a Powell contract is three years for a total of $65 million, including a team option for the final season.
Powell has declined a bit as the past couple seasons have gone on, maybe the only real concern about him, but that price projection wouldn't be bad at all for a player of Powell's caliber.
"A potential blockbuster Antetokounmpo trade would play a role in the next contract for Powell," Marks writes. "In the scenario Miami takes back more salary in a deal, the first apron is then triggered. Miami is currently $35 million below the threshold, with the figure including its first-round pick and Tyler Herro's $2.5 million in unlikely bonuses. The 32-year-old Powell averaged a career-high 21.7 points but saw that number slip to 17.5 after the All-Star break. Last season with the LA Clippers, Powell averaged 24.2 points before the break and 14.4 after."
The Heat would be expected to move Herro out in a deal for Giannis, which makes Powell's backcourt experience and talent particularly important to keep around. An offseason that lost both Herro and Powell would make things tough on Miami next season, even if they got Antetokounmpo.
English (US)