What Norman Powell is proving to the NBA in his first season with the Heat

The Miami Heat made some serious adjustments over the course of the 2025 offseason, and so far, it's paying dividends.

When they acquired Norman Powell in a trade with the Los Angeles Clippers, he was likely envisioned as a high-upside role player in Miami's system, but he's blowing those expectations out of the water.

Through 12 games, he's averaging 25.4 points per game on 49.5% shooting to go along with four rebounds and 2.5 assists.

Norman Powell trade paying off for the Heat

ESPN's Tim Bontemps wrote a piece regarding what he's hearing around the NBA on all 30 teams, and for the Heat, he's hearing nothing but positive things about Powell.

"There's been plenty of discussion about Miami's new offensive system, but no one has taken to it more than Powell. When the Clippers chose not to extend him this past summer and sent him to Miami in a three-team deal that saw the Heat land him for almost nothing, it was seen as a win-win for both sides," wrote Bontemps.

"But even the most optimistic Heat partisans would have had a hard time envisioning how Powell has taken to life on the shores of Biscayne Bay, where he's averaging a career-high 25.5 points on an absurd 46% from 3 and has kept Miami in the top 10 on offense with Tyler Herro yet to play this season and Bam Adebayo missing a good chunk of it."

Miami is looking like a real playoff contender early on in the 2025-26 season, in part thanks to Powell's play.

Once Tyler Herro returns to the fold and Bam Adebayo is back at 100%, the league is going to be put on notice.

More Heat news:

• Bill Simmons' trade idea lands Heat disgruntled star point guard
• Heat All-Star Tyler Herro linked to Western Conference team by NBA analyst
• Heat’s Norman Powell says he will provide leadership to second-year center
• Heat’s Bam Adebayo’s MRI reveals left big toe injury, status is day-to-day
• Heat star $120 million guard could be traded to west when he recovers from injury