When the news broke that Kawhi Leonard would be out indefinitely, the Los Angeles Clippers were written off as a losing team that would hit the reset button and tank. Amid strong starts from Ivica Zubac, James Harden and Norman Powell, however, the Clippers are 6-4 and are seventh in the West.
The Western Conference only has four teams below .500, so the Clippers will have to be borderline elite down the stretch to make any noise in the postseason. In theory, Leonard could return and take over, leading the Clippers deep in the playoffs, although it seems more likely that he will be sidelined for longer than expected.
With the best-case scenario being a first-round exit at the hands of a real contender, the Clippers should sell their best players before the trade deadline, and Powell might have more value than anyone.
The 31-year-old wing has two years left on a $90 million deal and, so far, is averaging 25.5 points, 1.1 steals and 3.4 rebounds while shooting a blistering 49.4% from 3-point range. His career average of 12.5 points and a 39.8% from deep suggest his start isn’t sustainable, and the Clippers should sell him while his value is high.
Struggling teams like the Milwaukee Bucks and Philadelphia 76ers have young talent to boost a rebuild in Los Angeles, and the Los Angeles Lakers or New York Knicks have some remaining draft capital to get a deal done. History shows that Powell’s value will never be higher, and the Clippers could capitalize on a hot start, although the clock is ticking.
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