Kawhi Leonard gives his thoughts on former Los Angeles Clippers teammate Norman Powell, who is now with the Miami Heat
Kawhi Leonard and Norman Powell were teammates with the Toronto Raptors and Los Angeles Clippers.
They won a title with the Raptors in 2019 and spent four seasons together on the Clippers. So if anyone knows Powell, it's Leonard.
After the Heat defeated the Clippers Monday at Kaseya Center, Leonard was asked about how well Powell has fit in with the Heat. Leonard said nothing is surprising about the way Powell has played.
Leonard knew Powell could develop into a solid player when they played together in Toronto.
"He was the same," Leonard said. "Definitely gotten better, gotten more opportunity. He extended his game, especially out to the 3, shooting at a high rate. He was always making threes but now he's 42 (percent) or higher."
Powell is shooting 45 percent from the 3-point line this season. He had 33 points in Monday's win, including shooting 6 of 10 from the arc. Many are calling him the steal of the offseason after the Heat acquired him during free agency. The Clippers have been labeled as "losers" after getting rid of Powell.
"He's playing excellent," Leonard said. "He's playing great. I'm happy for him. It's nothing that is unexpected, at least not for me. He's worked on his game a lot. It's showing."
The Powell effect in Miami is noticeable. The Heat have third-best record in the Eastern Conference, with some referring to them as a darkhorse candidate to make the NBA Finals. That could happen, especially in a conference with top teams such as the Boston Celtics and Indiana Pacers without their top players.
The Celtics are minus star Jayson Tatum while the Pacers are down Tyrese Haliburton. Both are out this season with Achilles injuries sustained late last season. This opens the door for teams like the Heat, who have a strong core of Powell, Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo. With Davion Mitchell showing growth and Jamie Jaquez apparently back from a sophomore slump last season, the Heat are deserving of consideration for being a breakout team.
Herro, who missed the first month of the season, has already developed some chemistry with Powell.
"We're excited about it," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "I know they're both excited about it. I think the two of them and their skill sets just make us a whole lot more dynamic offensively, and we welcome all of it."
Shandel Richardson is the publisher of HeatRoundtable. He can be reached at shandelrich@gmail.com