Winners, losers from the Clippers, Trail Blazers trade of Norman Powell

We have our first significant trade of the deadline season, with the Clippers and Trail Blazers completing a five-player trade that looks like a steal for Los Angeles in terms of talent, but is a step down the road Portland wants to take.

Let’s break down the winners and losers from this trade. But first, here is the deal:

The Clippers receive: Norman Powell, Robert CovingtonThe Trail Blazers receive: Justise Winslow, Eric Bledsoe, Keon Johnson, Detroit’s 2025 second-round pick (the Clippers had the rights from the Luke Kennard trade)

Another smart move by the Lawrence Frank and the Clippers front office — and a move only a free-spending team like the Clippers under Steve Ballmer could make.

This is a trade all about next season, when Powell — a quality, switchable, two-way wing, averaging 18.7 points a game and shooting 40.6% from 3 this season — can be a sixth man and either fill in for or play behind a (hopefully) healthy Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. Don’t forget that Leonard and Powell have won a ring together before in Toronto. Powell is under contract for four more seasons after this one, and at starter-level money.

“Norm is a two-way player who can score from all three levels, spread the floor with his shooting and guard multiple positions with his length and versatility,” said Frank in a released statement. “He was part of a championship team in Toronto before joining the Blazers. Norm has SoCal roots, having grown up in San Diego and starred at UCLA, and we’re thrilled to bring him back.”

Most teams in the tax, like the Clippers, would have kept Bledsoe, who makes similar money to Powell but only has a $3.9 million guarantee next season, allowing them to trim costs going forward. Ballmer doesn’t care, he can