Norman Powell Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Clippers Rumors: Harden, Powell, Offseason, Eubanks, Batum, More

June 4th, 2025 at 7:36am CST by Luke Adams

Clippers guard James Harden, who holds a $36.3MM player option for the 2025/26 season, is “trending toward” declining that option, league sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

As Scotto explains, both the Clippers and Harden have interest in continuing their relationship, so if the 35-year-old opts out, the expectation is that the two sides would work out a new deal. According to Scotto, there’s a “growing belief” that Harden’s next contract will put him on the same timeline as star forward Kawhi Leonard, whose deal runs through the 2026/27 season.

Here’s more on the Clippers:

Although Norman Powell will be extension-eligible this offseason and averaged a career-high 21.8 points per game in 2024/25, he isn’t considered a lock to sign a new contract with the Clippers in the coming months. As Scotto writes, Powell’s expiring $20.5MM contract could end up being useful as a salary-matching piece if Los Angeles makes a bigger trade at some point in ’25/26. The club also wants to maintain significant cap flexibility for the summer of 2027, Scotto reports. Currently, only center Ivica Zubac is owed guaranteed money beyond that point.
If the Clippers do pursue a deal for a high-priced star, Bogdan Bogdanovic and Derrick Jones are the other notable veterans whose contracts might come in handy for salary-matching, says Scotto. Bogdanovic will earn just over $16MM next season, while Jones will make $10MM.
If the Clippers don’t take a big swing this offseason, they’re expected to focus on adding another point guard, as well as a rim-protecting center to back up Zubac, according to Scotto, who notes that the club should have the non-taxpayer mid-level exception to shop with in free agency.
L.A. isn’t expected to retain center Drew Eubanks, who has a non-guaranteed $4.75MM salary for 2025/26, but the team is counting on Nicolas Batum to return, per Scotto. Batum holds a $4.9MM player option. It remains to be seen how much interest the Clippers will have in re-signing unrestricted free agents Amir Coffey and Ben Simmons, Scotto adds.

International Notes: Thompson Twins, Micic, Brown, McCollum

May 25th, 2025 at 2:03pm CST by Arthur Hill

Amen Thompson and Ausar Thompson may represent Jamaica in FIBA competitions and possibly the Summer Olympics, according to Daniel Blake of The Jamaica Observer (Twitter link). Blake states that they have begun the process of applying for citizenship, which they’re eligible to do because their father, Troy, is from Jamaica.

Amen, a first-team All-Defensive selection, became a full-time starter for the Rockets midway through the season and gained a reputation as one of the NBA’s most versatile and athletic players. Ausar overcame a health issue that cut short his rookie year and solidified a starting spot with a Pistons team that produced one of the largest single-season improvements in NBA history.

Blake adds (via Twitter) that Jamaica is making a serious upgrade to its basketball program, with Clippers guard Norman Powell already committed to playing in pre-qualifiers for the 2027 FIBA World Cup this summer. Blake states that other targets include Suns center Nick Richards, Pistons big man Isaiah Stewart and Timberwolves forward Josh Minott.

There’s more international news to pass along:

Olympiacos in Greece is expressing interest in Suns point guard Vasilije Micic, per Kevin Martorano of Sportando. Phoenix holds an $8.1MM team option on Micic for next season, but that’s unlikely to be exercised because he only got into five games after being acquired from Charlotte at the trade deadline.
Former NBA guard Lorenzo Brown may be looking to change teams next season with T.J. Shorts expected to join Panathinaikos, writes Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews. Brown was disappointed with his role in his first season with the Greek powerhouse and wants to find a spot where he can play regularly. “I think I’ve proven myself in this league a bunch of times,” he said. “I just want to play, man, and finish strong. I’ll be 35 in August, but I still have a lot of game left. I can still dunk, still windmill—whatever you need me to do. I just want to play and compete. I think I was a little out of the loop this year. It was a little weird. My brothers fought for me all year. That brotherhood—that’s what matters most.”
Errick McCollum, currently with Fenerbahce in Turkey, told Antonis Stroggylakis of Eurohoops that he received NBA offers earlier in his career, but he opted for the security of playing overseas. The 37-year-old point guard is the older brother of the Pelicans’ CJ McCollum. “I had some opportunities. But the role wasn’t right,” he said. “Sometimes it was third point guard. Not many minutes, minimum contract. It just wasn’t right in my career. For other people, it may be good. But I’m a guy who wants to play. I want to have an impact. Be out there on the court making a difference.”

Clippers Notes: Harden, Leonard, Lue, Powell, Batum

May 4th, 2025 at 9:58am CST by Arthur Hill

For years, one of the storylines surrounding the Clippers has been what they might be able to accomplish if their stars were ever healthy for the playoffs, writes Law Murray of The Athletic. It finally happened this season, but L.A. was ousted in the first round for the third straight year after losing Game 7 Saturday night in Denver.

The Clippers are coming off a 50-win season, surprising many observers who expected them to take a step back after losing Paul George in free agency. James Harden proved he’s still among the league’s most durable and versatile guards, playing 79 games and averaging 22.8 points, 5.8 rebounds and 8.7 assists per night. Kawhi Leonard was brought along slowly, but was eventually able to overcome last season’s knee inflammation, putting up 21.5 points, 5.9 rebounds and 3.1 assists in 37 games and playing vintage-level defense.

Although there might be limits to the Clippers’ future with their two best players well into their 30s, coach Tyronn Lue is encouraged by the way the season played out.

“I think James having to carry such a heavy load with Kawhi missing 45 games and just having to carry that load all season long, he did a great job with that,” Lue said. “And I think Kawhi, coming back and having the confidence in his knee that he can play more minutes, he can get through these games. And those two together for a whole season, I think, would be tremendous. So when you have your best player missing (45 games), it’s kind of hard to really jell the way we wanted to. But I thought we did a good job of just sticking with it. And whatever we needed to do to win that night, they did it.”

There’s more on the Clippers:

Harden, who has a $36.4MM player option for next season, is expected to remain with the team and the details of a potential new contract will be worked out this summer, Murray adds. That will ensure stability moving forward, as Leonard just finished the first season of a contract extension that runs through 2026/27, and Ivica Zubac, Norman Powell, Derrick Jones, Kris Dunn and Bogdan Bogdanović are all under contract for next season.
Lue is also expected to be back despite the early exit. He signed an extension last spring that runs through 2029, and Murray states that he still has a strong relationship with owner Steve Ballmer and president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank. Law notes that one of Lue’s best decisions from the past year was hiring veteran coach Jeff Van Gundy to run the team’s defense.
Mark Deeks of HoopsHype examines the financial decisions the Clippers will face this summer, including a potential extension for Norman Powell. The 31-year-old guard is coming off the best scoring season of his career, averaging 21.8 PPG in 60 games, and he’s eligible for a three-year extension worth up to about $92MM.
Nicolas Batum, who has a $4.9MM player option for next season, will also be worth monitoring, Bobby Marks of ESPN states in his overview of the Clippers’ offseason (subscription required). Marks notes that the team’s bench will suffer if Batum opts to retire or test free agency.

And-Ones: Wong, 82 Games, Powell, Jamaica, More

April 13th, 2025 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

After being waived by the Hornets prior to the All-Star break, guard Isaiah Wong signed a rest-of-season contract with the Lithuanian team Zalgiris Kaunas in February. According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter links), Wong has since agreed to extend his relationship with Zalgiris, though his new deal comes with opt-out potential.

As agent Darrell Comer explains to Scotto, Wong’s new three-year contract includes outs for the NBA, EuroLeague, and China. Specifically, it features an opportunity for the 24-year-old to opt out during the summer of 2025 for a two-way contract offer from an NBA team, and Wong is indeed expected to generate two-way interest, Scotto reports.

The 55th overall pick in the 2023 draft, Wong spent his rookie year on a two-way deal with the Pacers, then appeared in 20 games off the bench for Charlotte this season. He averaged 6.0 points, 1.6 rebounds, and 1.4 assists in 13.3 minutes per night as a Hornet, with a shooting line of .390/.394/.735.

Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

Warriors head coach Steve Kerr has previously expressed a desire to reduce the 82-game NBA season and still feels strongly about the issue, having emailed NBA commissioner Adam Silver to make his case before the start of this season, according to Christian Clark of The Athletic. However, even though he believes it’s a logical way to address load management and player participation issues, Kerr is skeptical it will ever happen. “We should be playing fewer games,” he said. “Everyone knows that. But it’s a money issue. How many of the constituents are willing to take less money?”
Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press takes a closer look at the players who appeared in all 82 regular season games this season, including Spurs point guard Chris Paul, who became the first player to start 82 games in his 20th NBA season (John Stockton previously made 82 starts in his 19th year). As Reynolds notes, Knicks forward Mikal Bridges played just six seconds on Sunday in order to keep his streak of 556 consecutive regular season appearances alive.
Clippers guard Norman Powell has committed to representing Jamaica during the pre-qualifiers for the 2027 FIBA World Cup this summer, according to an announcement from the Basketball Jamaica Association. The games will be played from August 8-10. “I’m super excited to join Team Jamaica,” Powell said in a statement. “Coach (Nick) Turner and I have worked on this for a while, and now it’s a reality. I’m ready to grind and need everyone’s support to make it happen.”
ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Insider link) has launched his offseason preview series for 2025 by identifying the top front office priorities for the Jazz, Hornets, and Wizards this offseason. While the draft will be crucial for all three clubs, they also have several veteran players to make decisions on, including Lauri Markkanen, John Collins, LaMelo Ball, and Jordan Poole.

L.A. Notes: Powell, Harden, Hayes, Lakers’ Offseason

March 17th, 2025 at 11:59am CST by Arthur Hill

The Clippers didn’t ask much from Norman Powell as he returned to the court Sunday night, but they didn’t need a big contribution from their leading scorer in a 35-point win over Charlotte, writes Janis Carr of The Orange County Register. Playing for just the second time since the All-Star break, Powell scored seven points in 22 minutes and Carr observed that the enthusiasm he displayed as he skipped onto the court showed his excitement to be playing again.

Carr notes that coach Tyronn Lue has found a way to keep the team successful without Powell’s 23.4 points per game. While he was sidelined, Lue focused the offense around Kawhi Leonard, Ivica Zubac and James Harden.

“(We were) understanding how we want to play through guys,” Lue said, “and I think we’re getting more comfortable playing through Kawhi, playing through Zu, and James is just James.”

L.A. has managed to stay in contention for an automatic playoff spot, trailing sixth-place Golden State by just a game and a half. Powell’s return comes at a good time as the schedule is about to get much tougher with home games this week against Cleveland, Memphis and Oklahoma City.

“We pretty much need to win these games,” Leonard said. “Obviously, James is playing at a great level, Zu too. They played great individual basketball, being efficient and (Bogdan Bogdanovic) being great as well, making threes. It’s just been a collective group of thinking, just making shots that have been helping us.”

There’s more from Los Angeles:

Harden has a streak of 15 straight playoff appearances that dates back to his rookie season with the Thunder, Carr adds in a separate story. It’s the fourth-longest such streak in NBA history, but he’ll have to go through the play-in tournament to extend it if the Clippers can’t move into the top six.
The Lakers also welcomed back an important player on Sunday as center Jaxson Hayes returned after missing the four-game road trip with a bruised right knee, per Khobi Price of The Orange County Register. Hayes tied his season high with 19 points while shooting 8-of-10 from the field, and Price notes that all his baskets came off assists from Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. “Just the vertical spacer is massive,” coach J.J. Redick told reporters before the game. “It’s not just in pick-and-rolls, but it’s on drives. Just the threat of that that Jaxson has provided has been so good for Luka, for LeBron (James), for (Reaves), so excited to get that back.”
Finding another center will be an offseason priority for the Lakers, whether it’s someone to take over the starting role or serve as a backup to Hayes, Jovan Buha of The Athletic said on his latest podcast (hat tip to BasketNews). L.A. acquired Mark Williams from Charlotte before the deadline, but eventually rescinded the trade due to concerns about Williams’ physical condition. Buha also expects the team to try to work out extensions with Doncic and Reaves and to reach new deals with James and Dorian Finney-Smith. Doncic will become eligible in August for a four-year extension worth an estimated $228.6MM.

Clippers’ Norman Powell Returning From Hamstring Injury

March 16th, 2025 at 5:09pm CST by Luke Adams

Clippers wing Norman Powell will be available for Sunday’s game against the Hornets in Los Angeles, head coach Tyronn Lue told reporters today (Twitter link via Justin Russo).

Powell missed five games due to a left knee injury coming out of the All-Star break, then returned to action on March 2. However, he played just nine minutes in that contest before exiting due to a right hamstring strain that has kept him on the shelf for the past seven games. If he’s able to stay healthy through the final buzzer on Sunday, it will be the 31-year-old’s first full game since February 13.

Powell has had a career year for the Clippers in 2024/25, with averages of 23.8 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game and a .494/.424/.821 shooting line across 46 outings (33.0 MPG). He’s the team’s leading scorer and helped keep the offense afloat when Kawhi Leonard was out during the first half of the season.

Powell had been viewed for most of the year as one of the league’s leading candidates for Most Improved Player honors, but his recent injury absences, along with a few missed games earlier in the season, have cost him a shot at earning that award. Even if he plays in every game remaining on L.A.’s schedule, Powell will fall shy of the 65-game requirement for award consideration.

According to Clippers sideline reporter Lauren Rosen (Twitter link), Powell will reclaim his spot in the starting lineup on Sunday. He’ll presumably replace Kris Dunn, who will be unavailable due to left knee soreness.

L.A. Notes: Leonard, Lue, Morris, Hayes

March 10th, 2025 at 11:01am CST by Arthur Hill

The Clippers‘ prospects for an automatic playoff spot — or at least a better position in the play-in tournament — improved dramatically on one Kawhi Leonard shot Sunday night, writes Law Murray of The Athletic. Trailing by a point in overtime, Leonard held the ball for 15 seconds before making a move. He dribbled eight times, then launched his shot over a collapsing Kings defense. It bounced off the back of the rim and fell through the net to give the Clippers a 111-110 victory.

“Read the defense, got to a spot on the floor and was able to get a shot off,” said Leonard, who topped 40 minutes for the first time this season. “I wanted to play. I’m kind of capped on the minutes — 36 is a lot of minutes. But it was just about me just wanting to finish that game. They told me they were going to sit me for a minute and bring me back. So just itching to get back in and didn’t want to sit.”

It was the third straight victory for the Clippers, who are eighth in the West at 35-29, one game back of Golden State for the sixth spot. L.A. has rebounded from a 1-6 stretch immediately after the All-Star break and appears to be surging ahead of four upcoming games against sub-.500 opponents. The Clippers have now clinched the head-to-head tie-breaker against the Kings, who trail their division rivals by a game and a half at 33-30.

Although Norman Powell and Ben Simmons remained out for Sunday’s game, league sources tell Murray that they’re both making progress. Powell, who is sidelined with patellar tendinopathy in his left knee, will be reevaluated following a three-game road trip. Simmons, who is also dealing with a knee issue, may play during the trip.

There’s more on the two Los Angeles teams:

Clippers coach Tyronn Lue had to miss Sunday’s game due to back pain, according to an Associated Press report. Lue didn’t give any indication during his pregame media session that he wouldn’t be able to coach, and the team didn’t provide any other details. Assistant Brian Shaw replaced Lue for the night.
Markieff Morris has barely played since rejoining the Lakers last month, but he’s finding other ways to contribute, notes Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times. The veteran forward has taken on a leadership role and was instrumental in helping Dalton Knecht regain his confidence after his trade to Charlotte was rescinded. “I missed (Morris),” LeBron James said. “… We’ve been in the foxhole together. We’ve been on the floor during big games together. And there’s someone whose opinion I value very much when I come off the floor. He’s watching it. He’s seeing it. I’m just happy to have him back. It’s great to see him.”
The Lakers will be without their entire starting front line for tonight’s game at Brooklyn. Center Jaxson Hayes has been ruled out on the team’s official injury report due to a contusion on his right knee. He joins James, who’s recovering from a groin injury he suffered Saturday night, and Rui Hachimura, who remains sidelined with patellar tendinopathy in his left knee.

Clippers’ Powell Out At Least 10 Days With Hamstring Strain

March 5th, 2025 at 2:29pm CST by Luke Adams

After missing five games due to a left knee injury (patellar tendinopathy), Clippers wing Norman Powell lasted just nine minutes in his return on Sunday before exiting the game due to a right leg injury.

As Tomer Azarly of ClutchPoints tweets, Powell has been diagnosed with a hamstring strain and will be reevaluated in 10 days, according to the Clippers.

The team technically made that announcement on Tuesday night, so Powell’s evaluation date is set for March 14. Even if he’s able to return to action that night, he’ll have missed at least six games due to the injury, including yesterday’s loss to Phoenix.

Powell has had a career year in Los Angeles in 2024/25, with averages of 23.8 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game and a .494/.424/.821 shooting line across 46 outings (33.0 MPG).

However, injuries have impacted his availability in recent weeks and it’s hurting the Clippers, who have gone just 1-6 since the All-Star break and now sit ninth in the Western Conference at 32-29 after having held a top-six seed for most of the season.

Powell’s latest injury will also make him ineligible for Most Improved Player consideration. He had been one of the leading candidates for the award, but will no longer be able to meet the 65-game minimum necessary to qualify.

Newcomers Bogdan Bogdanovic and Ben Simmons have played regular rotation roles with Powell sidelined, while Kawhi Leonard, Kris Dunn, and Amir Coffey have all seen minute bumps.

Pacific Notes: Sabonis, Valanciunas, Suns, Powell, Lakers

March 1st, 2025 at 11:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Kings picked up an important win in Houston Saturday night even though they lost starting center Domantas Sabonis early in the game, writes Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee. After a little more than a minute of play, Sabonis grabbed his left hamstring while running down the court. Head coach Doug Christie immediately called time out, and Sabonis headed to the locker room to get it checked. The Kings announced that he wouldn’t return, and Christie is unsure how long he might be sidelined.

“We’ll see in the coming days,” Christie told reporters. “Probably tomorrow or the next day we’ll have an idea, but everyone’s just pulling for him. Stepping in and, wow, we’re talking about Domantas Sabonis, who covers the stat sheet in a way that is difficult to do. A lot of guys stepped in and weren’t trying to do too much. They were just trying to do what they do and that adds up to everyone pulling the rope in the same direction.”

Sacramento was able to overcome Sabonis’ injury because of a strong night from backup center Jonas Valanciunas, who was acquired from Washington at the trade deadline. Playing nearly 30 minutes off the bench, Valanciunas contributed 15 points, 14 rebounds, four steals and three blocks as the Kings leap-frogged two teams to move into eighth in the Western Conference standings.

There’s more from the Pacific Division:

Bradley Beal remains questionable for Sunday’s contest against Minnesota after missing the Suns‘ last two games with tightness in his left calf, according to Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. Grayson Allen, who sat out Friday’s game due to left foot soreness, is probable to return. After snapping a three-game losing streak Friday night, Kevin Durant said the Suns need to block out distractions and concentrate on playing basketball. “It’s so much noise that’s going to be around us,” Durant said. “It’s so much tension around whether we’re going to win or lose the next game. So many people wishing that we don’t win games. It’s just a lot of BS around us, but I think if we understand that’s just the nature of the beast and we go out there and play with more pride and more energy, more enthusiasm, I think that things can turn around, but you really actually got to feel that.”
Clippers coach Tyronn Lue expressed hope that leading scorer Norman Powell can return soon after missing the last five games with soreness in his left knee, per Janis Carr of The Orange County Register. Lue added that Powell tried to play through the pain before the All-Star break, but he eventually had to make a change in the medical treatment he was receiving on the knee. “But like I said, he’s getting close, and he’s been doing the things needed to try to get back on the floor and so hopefully sooner than later,” Lue said.
The Lakers are getting valuable contributions from their two-way players, observes Khobi Price of The Orange County Register. Jordan Goodwin and Trey Jemison both played a role in Friday’s win over the Clippers. “Those guys are just professional,” coach J.J. Redick said. “And a lot of times with two-ways, you can err on the side of youth and development, and I think there’s a lot of merit and a lot of value in that. Trey and Goodie are older players by two-way standards. And so, to be able to have them both with experience and both having been in the league now for a couple of years – Goodie longer than that – but they know how to play and they can contribute to winning.”

Pacific Notes: Iguodala, Kawhi, Powell, Morris, Martin

February 24th, 2025 at 4:11pm CST by Rory Maher

Andre Iguodala‘s No. 9 jersey went into the rafters of the Chase Center on Sunday, making him the seventh Warriors player to have his jersey retired, writes Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. The four-time champion dedicated much of his speech to thanking staff members, but made sure to express his appreciation to fans and former teammates as well, including two-time MVP Stephen Curry.

“None of this would have happened without all of you, the fans,” Iguodala said.

“We haven’t really had time to reflect, Steph, you made the world turn. That is not something you say lightly. You truly changed the game of basketball. It was beautiful. … I understood my role. I understood the genius of Draymond [Green], the genius of Klay [Thompson], the genius of Kevin Durant. … Shaun Livingston and I … we had this unique team that understood, had this precious ultra-talented assassin. Steph, none of this happens without you.”

Curry called it “weird and surreal” to attend the ceremony, noting that it’s been “hard to fill that void” in the locker room since Iguodala retired.

“I think we all can feel it but this isn’t just about a number going into the rafters,” Curry said of Iguodala. “This is about a player who changed the course of our entire franchise. … You were the first one to choose us, and that meant the world. For a team that knew we were good but didn’t know how to get to that next level, you unlocked so much confidence, so much IQ, so much maturity to what we did.

“You sacrificed ego for excellence, which for us is the Warriors way.”

Here’s more from the Pacific:

Key Clippers starters Kawhi Leonard (left foot soreness) and Norman Powell (left patellar tendinopathy) will be sidelined for Monday’s contest in Detroit, tweets Law Murray of The Athletic. It’s the second straight absence for Leonard and third for Powell, who was previously listed as having left knee soreness. As expected, Ben Simmons will also be sidelined with what the team called left knee injury management — he has yet to play both ends of a back-to-back this season (the Clippers lost at Indiana on Sunday).
Veteran forward Markieff Morris was an afterthought in the blockbuster trade that saw Luka Doncic land with the Lakers, but head coach JJ Redick says he’s been a valuable leader in the locker room, according to Khobi Price of The Southern California News Group (subscriber link). “He’s been awesome,” Redick said. “It’s very valuable to have a guy like that, a voice, an older voice, someone who’s seen it all in the NBA, someone who’s won a championship. Obviously that helps as well. He’s been great on the bench with talking with guys, making sure our bench energy is good. I told him the other day, we see it and we appreciate it and we all just value what he’s doing right now from that aspect in leadership.”
Suns head coach Mike Budenholzer says there’s no timetable for Cody Martin to return from a sports hernia injury, per Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic (Twitter video link). “He’s putting work in. I think he’s making progress, but I don’t have an update on his expected return time. I think we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it,” Budenholzer said. Martin, who was acquired from Charlotte at the trade deadline, last played on January 24. The 29-year-old wing was doing some shooting drills prior to Saturday’s game, Rankin adds (via Twitter).