Clippers Notes: Covington, Powell, Blazers Trade

Robert Covington said he’s “beyond excited” by getting traded with Norman Powell to the Clippers, ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk writes. The duo was shipped by the Trail Blazers in exchange for Eric BledsoeJustise WinslowKeon Johnson, and Detroit’s 2025 second-round pick on Friday. “It’s going to make us dynamic — more dynamic than what we already are and it’s going to be scary defensively,” Covington said.

Powell pumped in 28 points in a loss to Milwaukee on Sunday in his Clippers’ debut. Powell said he’ll have no trouble fitting in when Paul George and Kawhi Leonard return from their injuries.

“Literally for all my career, I have been in every single role on the team,” Powell said. “The guy fighting and scratching trying to get into the rotation. Being in a rotation, being taken out of a rotation, playing alongside Kyle [Lowry] and DeMar [DeRozan], playing alongside Kyle and Kawhi, playing off of them [in Toronto]. So I think I can fit perfectly in here, with PG and Kawhi.”

We have more on the Clippers:

  • The acquisition of Covington and Powell proved the Clippers have hit the market as resilient buyers, rather than selling off pieces due to their star duo’s injuries, Mark Medina of NBA.com opines. The Clippers managed to acquire talent while maintaining some flexibility, Medina notes. Powell is a dependable player entering his prime while on the first year of a five-year contract. Covington is an unrestricted free agent this summer but the Clippers now hold his Bird Rights if they want to re-sign him.
  • The acquisition of Powell could lead an especially potent crunch-time lineup in 2022/23 season when Leonard and George return to full health, according to John Hollinger of The Athletic. Powell fits in snugly in a sniper role playing alongside Leonard and George. Add in Luke Kennard or Reggie Jackson and defenses would struggle mightily to guard that quartet on the perimeter.
  • Coach Tyronn Lue and Portland coach Chauncey Billups are close friends, and that should facilitate the acclimation process for the newly-acquired duo, Mirjam Swanson of the Orange County Register writes. “Me and Chauncey, we run a lot of the same stuff,” Lue said. “Pretty much the same system, especially early offensive stuff. … The biggest thing is those guys getting comfortable and understand who they’re playing with on the floor and picking and choosing their spots.”
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