213hoops.com
Clippers Trade Norm Powell for John Collins
Well, the most discussed/rumored trade in recent Clippers history finally happened, as the Clippers traded Norm Powell to the Heat, sent their 2027 second round pick to the Utah Jazz, and received John Collins from Utah. Collins has been mentioned as a Clippers target for years, and he is now at last on his way to Los Angeles.
From a roster perspective, this move makes quite a bit of sense for the Clippers. The reason Collins has been a name that has come up so frequently is because he is a large, athletic power forward that can play small-ball center, and the Clippers have all too frequently been small, old, and unathletic in the past five years. Collins does not fix those issues, but he goes a ways towards addressing them in the short term.
The West is just getting bigger. The Thunder play with two bigs a lot, the Rockets added a center and multiple large forwards this offseason, the Timberwolves kept their two key big men, and the Nuggets traded for Jonas Valanciunas. The Clippers really needed to add more size to the roster, and shifting from a small guard in Norm to a large forward in Collins will help them deal with those larger, physical teams in the West.
Collins has been around for a while, so I don’t think I need to provide a ton of in-depth analysis on his game, but he’s coming off probably the second-best season of his career, averaging 19 points, 8.2 rebounds, and a steal and a block for the (admittedly tanking) Jazz while shooting 52.7% from the field and 39.9% from three (3.7 attempts per game). He’s shot well in general the past two years, seemingly course correcting from his awful shooting season in 2023 (when his finger was messed up). He’s still not a high-volume shooter for a forward, but he can space the floor for Ivica Zubac at least a bit. His main addition, however, will be as an above-the-rim finisher for James Harden and as a support on the glass and back line defensively.
Right now, the current Clippers’ starting lineup would seem to be James Harden, Kris Dunn, Kawhi Leonard, Collins, and Ivica Zubac, with a bench of Bogdan Bogdanovic, Derrick Jones Jr., Nic Batum, and Brook Lopez. All of a sudden, after seeming so guard heavy for so many years, with Norm gone and Amir Coffey gone, the Clippers now could use another guard, preferably one who provides shooting and ball handling. I do think the Collins trade therefore increases the likelihood of Bradley Beal ending up a Clipper – he’d likely replace Dunn in that starting unit and enable the Clippers to keep Collins in the starting role or shift in Derrick Jones Jr. However, adding a bench guard like Chris Paul or Malcolm Brogdon would make sense as well.
This move also checks boxes from a long-term perspective. Norm was looking for an extension, and it was clear the Clippers did not want to give him a deal that would conflict with their ability to get to cap space in 2027 (or even next summer). It therefore made sense for both sides to move on, with the Clippers now able to evaluate Collins and see how he fares before he fits free agency next summer.
As for Norm, he gets to go to a Miami Heat team that prizes the work ethic that he consistently displays, and will play a big role on a team that doesn’t have much in the way of scoring. Norm was highly productive for the Clippers in his 3+ years on the team, and his career year in 2025 was a significant reason for the Clippers’ overperformance that season. Alas, he ended his Clippers’ career on a bit of a sour note against the Denver Nuggets in the playoffs, and it’s hard not to think that the Clippers being so physically outmatched against Denver played a part in the Clippers making this deal. I’ll be rooting for Norm going forward; he played hard, helped bridge the gap between 213 and the new era of Clippers’ ball, and had some very memorable performances as a Clipper.
I don’t think the Clippers are done yet – they will almost certainly add a guard of some kind in the coming days. For now, welcome John Collins!