The Los Angeles Clippers know the pressure is on.
One of the more notable headlines of the offseason for the Clippers was the departure of Paul George, but a certain member of the franchise doesn’t look at it as a loss.
“I saw it as addition by subtraction,” Normal Powell told reporters Monday morning. “More guys getting opportunities, including myself…”
Paul George, a nine-time All-Star, has rejoined the Eastern Conference after spending the last seven seasons out West. Miffed by the Clippers’ refusal to offer him a better contract, he declined his player option for 2024-25. Then on the first day of free agency, he agreed to sign with the Philadelphia 76ers. Now a core member of what could be categorized as a superteam, he’ll try to win the first championship of his career.
The Clippers managed to re-sign star guard James Harden this summer, which will aid them in pursuit of the franchise’s first championship. Nonetheless, Harden has declined in recent years and has to prove his Houston Rockets days aren’t too far behind him. With franchise star Kawhi Leonard’s body breaking down, there’s even more pressure on the former MVP.
As for Powell, he is mostly regarded as a defensive-minded player. A pitbull at the point of attack, he uses his doggedness and 6-foot-11 wingspan to hound the opponent. However, Powell is a gifted shooter who knows how to get to the rim. In 2021-22, he averaged a career-high 19.0 points per game, and 21.4 points per game after the Portland Trail Blazers traded him to Los Angeles.
Of the players not named Leonard or Harden, he may have the best chance to step out of George’s shadow.
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