Oct 23, 2024; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat president Pat Riley addresses the crowd during the Pat Riley Court dedication ceremony at halftime at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

Miami Heat's Norman Powell Given Unflattering Label Entering Season

Originally posted on Miami Heat on SI | By Sean Jordan | Last updated Aug 22, 2025 3:15 PM ET

The Miami Heat's offseason has been viewed as a moderate success. After losing Jimmy Butler, the team needed to add a legitimate scorer to the mix. They did so by trading for Los Angeles Clippers guard Norman Powell, who had a breakout campaign last year.

However, Bleacher Report has named Powell as the biggest faller heading into the season.

"Career years at age 31 are rare, but it's even less common for a player to sustain such a late-blooming breakout," the article wrote. "Powell put up a personal-best 21.8 points on a 61.5 true shooting percentage for the Clippers last season, starting a career-high 60 games and even earning some All-Star consideration. He might still be a solid offensive starter for the Heat, but he's not going to duplicate last season's efforts."

Powell has consistently been a solid NBA scorer throughout his decade-long career. After being the third option behind Kawhi Leonard and James Harden in Los Angeles, Powell now has the opportunity to be one of the main pieces of a playoff rotation. This is season could prove whether or not Powell's breakout season was a fluke.

JAQUEZ VIEWED AS 'BIGGEST RISER'

The Miami Heat's team identity is built through its young talent. Stars such as Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo are still relatively young and look to lead Miami in the post-Jimmy Butler era. However, there are a few other young rotational players who have impressed and can help lead Miami to the playoffs.

One such player is Jaime Jaquez Jr., who Bleacher Report named as the Heat's biggest riser heading into the season.

"Progress isn't always linear, but it was still jarring to see Jaquez fall off quite as steeply as he did in his second season," the article wrote. "After finishing fourth in Rookie of the Year and ninth in Sixth Man voting, the rugged forward lost minutes, shots and efficiency as a sophomore. This is not Jaquez, just 24, being on some irreversible downward slide. He still plays with force, still generally makes good decisions with the ball and does enough of the little things to deserve a shot at redemption. If he can get the ball to go in a little more consistently (46.1/31.1/75.4 shooting split last year), he'll retake his spot in the rotation and perhaps even warrant more than the 17 starts he got in 2024-25."

Jaquez impressed throughout his rookie season. However, his efficiency declined amidst a down season for the team. With the Heat not actively pursuing a forward this offseason, Jaquez may have shown some encouraging signs to the organization in terms of improving his game. It is safe to say this season will be make-or-break for the 24-year-old whose contract expires in 2027. A return to his rookie season form would go a long way to helping Miami earn a playoff spot in a depleted Eastern Conference.