The 2022 NBA trade deadline is set for Thursday, Feb. 10 and we're already underway.
On Friday, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the LA Clippers have acquired Norman Powell and Robert Covington from the Portland Trail Blazers in exchange for Eric Bledsoe, Justise Winslow, Keon Johnson and a 2025 second-round pick (via Detroit).
The Clippers are trading Eric Bledsoe, Justise Winslow, Keon Johnson and future second-round pick to the Trail Blazers for Norman Powell and Robert Covington, sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 4, 2022
Who won the deal? We have you covered with some trade grades below.
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LA Clippers trade grade
The Clippers are clear winners of this trade, there is no question about that.
In Powell, LA receives one of the best 3-point shooters in the league. The 28-year-old is averaging 18.7 points per game this season while knocking down 2.3 3s at a 40.6 percent clip. The only players averaging more points while shooting over 40 percent from 3 are All-Star big man Karl-Anthony Towns and Powell's former teammate CJ McCollum. Powell, meanwhile, gets to return close to his home in San Diego and rejoins two of his former Raptors NBA champion teammates in Kawhi Leonard and Serge Ibaka.
In Covington, the Clippers land a 3-and-D forward who can defend multiple positions and even play small-ball center if needed. Covington was having a down year in Portland but he is a starting-caliber player in the NBA and his versatility gives head coach Tyronn Lue even more flexibility with this current Clippers roster.
With Leonard (ACL) expected to miss the entire season and Paul George (elbow) absent since the end of December, the Clippers have somehow still found a way to remain in the Western Conference playoff picture. The additions of Powell and Covington give them two more valuable pieces to remain competitive for this season, and they both fit perfectly next to Leonard and George when they are healthy in the future (if they re-sign Covington, that is).
As ESPN's Zach Lowe noted, this trade is more about next season than this season.
“[This trade] was a home run for the Clippers. … This is a signal to the league ‘we are coming in loaded next season’."@ZachLowe_NBA reacts to the Clippers' acquisition of Norman Powell and Robert Covington. pic.twitter.com/K4p5n6bMqt
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) February 4, 2022
Pulling this off while only giving up expendable players and a future second-round pick, this deal was a steal for the Clippers.
Trade grade: A
Norman Powell, Robert Covington contract details
The Trail Blazers traded for Powell at last year's trade deadline, then signed the veteran wing to a five-year, $90 million contract extension this past offseason. That means Powell will likely remain with the Clippers for the foreseeable future.
Covington is in the final year of a four-year, $62 million extension he signed with the Philadelphia 76ers back in 2017. He is set to become an unrestricted free agent this offseason.
Portland Trail Blazers trade grade
For the Trail Blazers, this deal is more about shedding salary and getting under the luxury tax.
However, with that being said, they just traded two of their most valuable trade chips and only got a second-round pick along with the players they received in return. It is uncertain what type of future Bledsoe and Winslow have in Portland, but rookie first-round pick Keon Johnson is an intriguing addition as a high-flying wing with some future upside potential.
Moving on from Powell's $90 million contract also frees up some cap space to re-sign breakout guard Anfernee Simons to a favorable extension this offseason, Wojnarowski added in his report.
All-in-all, ideally, Powell and Covington would have landed them at least one first-round pick, so they missed out there.
Trade grade: D
Eric Bledsoe contract details
After this season, Bledsoe only has one year remaining on the four-year, $70 million extension he signed with the Milwaukee Bucks back in 2019. The final year of his deal is worth $19.4 million but only $3.9 million is guaranteed, making him a likely buyout candidate for the Blazers to shed even more salary.
Justise Winslow is only owed $4 million next season while Johnson is on his rookie-scale contract after being selected with the No. 21 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft.
