Trade season is officially underway.
On Friday, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported the LA Clippers will receive Norman Powell and Robert Covington from the Portland Trail Blazers in exchange for Eric Bledsoe, Justise Winslow, Keon Johnson and a future second-round pick.
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
Here is everything you need to know about the deal.
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Clippers, Blazers NBA trade details: Norman Powell, Robert Covington headed to Los Angeles
The Clippers, who have been without Kawhi Leonard (ACL) for the entire season and Paul George (elbow) since the end of December, have still found a way to remain competitive in the Western Conference, sitting firmly in the playoff picture.
This deal for a sharpshooter in Powell and a versatile 3-and-D piece in Covington gives them two valuable players to fill in during their star's absences this year and sets them up even better for when Leonard and George are both fully healthy again.
Powell has one of the smoothest shooting strokes in the league, averaging 18.7 points per game while knocking down 2.3 3s at a 40.6 percent clip. Covington was having a down year in Portland, but a change of scenery could be all the veteran forward needs to get back to defending and shooting at a high level.
The deal not only sends Powell closer to his home in San Diego, but it also reunites him with his former championship teammates with the Raptors in 2019 in Leonard and Serge Ibaka. The Blazers just re-signed Powell to a five-year, $90 million deal this past offseason, so the seven-year veteran could have a long-term future in Los Angeles.
The Blazers return Bledsoe, Winslow, rookie first-round pick Johnson and a 2025 second-round pick (via Detroit) in what appears to be a clear first step toward restructuring their roster.
According to ESPN's Bobby Marks, the trade puts Portland under the luxury tax and gives them some cap flexibility, as Bledsoe's contract is only guaranteed for $3.9 million next season.
When is the 2022 NBA Trade Deadline?
The 2022 NBA trade deadline is set for Thursday, Feb. 10 at 3 p.m. ET.
