The Miami Heat have made a notable change heading into the new NBA season by acquiring guard Norman Powell from the Los Angeles Clippers. This move follows the departure of star player Jimmy Butler and aims to bolster the team’s scoring ability. Powell, coming off a career-best season, arrives with expectations to contribute significantly during the Miami Heat season.
Bleacher Report Identifies Powell as the Biggest Decliner This Season
Despite Powell’s impressive performance last year, Bleacher Report has named him as the biggest faller heading into the upcoming NBA campaign. The report highlighted the rarity of sustaining a late-career breakout at age 31 and forecasted that Powell is unlikely to match his previous scoring output. While he may remain a reliable offensive starter for Miami, replicating last season’s career-high 21.8 points on an efficient 61.5 true shooting percentage is considered improbable.
Powell’s role with the Clippers was primarily as the third scoring option behind Kawhi Leonard and James Harden. Now stepping into a larger role with the Heat, this season will serve as a crucial test to determine whether his breakout year was an anomaly or a sign of consistent elevated performance.
Jaime Jaquez Jr. Emerges as Miami Heat’s Most Promising Young Player
While Norman Powell’s outlook is uncertain, Miami’s young talent continues to shape the team’s identity after Butler’s exit. Key figures such as Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo remain central to Miami’s future plans, with other young players stepping up to support their playoff aspirations. Among these, Jaime Jaquez Jr. stands out as the biggest riser, according to Bleacher Report.
The report acknowledged Jaquez’s uneven sophomore season after a promising rookie year, noting his reduced minutes, shot attempts, and efficiency. However, it emphasized that this decline is not permanent and highlighted Jaquez’s continued strong effort, solid decision-making, and valuable contributions to the team’s dynamics. Improving his shooting percentages, which last season stood at 46.1% field goals, 31.1% from three-point range, and 75.4% from the free-throw line, could help him reclaim and expand his role in Miami’s rotation.
Next Steps for Miami Heat and Player Development
Jaquez’s upcoming season is seen as pivotal in determining his long-term value to the Heat, especially since his contract runs through 2027. His progress could significantly influence Miami’s playoff chances in a less competitive Eastern Conference. Meanwhile, Powell’s performance will be closely watched to see if he can maintain his scoring level while adjusting to a new team environment.
As the Heat approach the season, these player narratives highlight a team in transition, aiming to combine veteran scoring with rising talent to stay competitive in the playoffs.
“Career years at age 31 are rare, but it’s even less common for a player to sustain such a late-blooming breakout,” —Bleacher Report article
“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.” —Bleacher Report article
“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,” —Bleacher Report article
“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.” —Bleacher Report article