Bradley Beal injury makes Norman Powell trade look even worse for Clippers

The Los Angeles Clippers traded Norman Powell this summer to avoid giving him an extension and to clear space for Bradley Beal. With Beal facing season-ending surgery, that gamble is looking bad.

Beal gave up nearly $14M in a buyout of the last two seasons on his contract with the Phoenix Suns, presumably with the knowledge he could sign with the Clippers and make up some of that money. To clear space, the Clippers sent incumbent shooting guard Norman Powell (21.6 PPG, 41.8% three-point shooting in 2024-25) to the Miami Heat in a three-team deal that netted them power forward John Collins.

The Clippers summer moves haven't paid off

Collins is averaging 12.9 points but only 5.1 rebounds this season, and is turning the ball over 2.1 times. Still, coach Ty Lue moved him into the starting lineup this week to provide more size with Beal and Kawhi Leonard out. The 3-7 Clippers still lost their fifth straight game.

Beal was just one of a number of older players the Clippers picked up this summer, along with 37-year-old Brook Lopez and 40-year-old Chris Paul. The Clippers also brought back Nic Batum, who turns 37 next month, for a team that relies heavily on 36-year-old James Harden, not to mention the oft-injured 34-year-old Leonard.

Lopez is averaging 7.2 points in 15.9 minutes per game. Paul has scored 2.3 points and dished out 3.6 assists in 12.9 minutes over eight games. Batum is averaging 2.9 points and shooting 27.3% on threes. Those aren't terrible numbers for end-of-the-bench reserves, but with Beal out for the season and Leonard out indefinitely, the Clippers need more minutes and production from their old guys.

Norman Powell is thriving with the Heat

In Miami, Powell is averaging 24.5 points and making 45.8% of his threes for the surprising 7-4 Heat. Considering the Heat only had to give up Kevin Love and Kyle Anderson to get him, the Powell trade might be the best trade any team made this summer.

The Clippers aren't just missing his scoring, though they're third-to-last in points per game (108.9). They're missing his minutes, which were 32.6 per game last season. Without Beal and Leonard, and with 33-year-old Bogdan Bogdanovic still recovering from injuries to his back and hamstring. L.A. has had to turn to 20-year-old Cam Christie, a second-round pick from last season.

Essentially, the Clippers created a position of weakness by trading the reliable Powell. They couldn't have expected Beal to be out for the season in November, but based on his last few seasons, they also shouldn't have expected him to avoid injuries, or play defense.

There aren't a lot of options for the Clippers besides waiting and hoping that their wing players can get healthy. With  a seven-game road trip looming, Los Angeles' season is in danger of derailing almost before it's begun.