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Raptors 'gauging interest' in Norman Powell trade ahead of NBA Draft: report
Nick Nurse had to field plenty of questions when he was introduced as the Toronto Raptors’ head coach, ranging anywhere from how he celebrated the promotion to how he plans on utilizing the roster in 2018-19.
Before long, Nurse was asked about the future of a Raptor who turned in a disappointing season in 2017-18: “Can Norman Powell be salvaged?” It’s an interesting question to ask of a player who had just signed a four-year, $42 million extension at the start of the season, but Powell’s rapid decline made the question worthwhile.
“Absolutely,” Nurse replied, wasting little time in throwing his support behind Powell. The coach seemed optimistic as he explained how Powell’s struggles had planted the shooting guard well out of the rotation by season’s end. A bounce-back campaign from Powell would certainly be music to every Raptors fans’ ears.
But one week after Nurse professed that Powell can have a role on this team, a report suggests the Raptors’ executive staff may not share that enthusiasm. The Raps, who are rumoured to be interested in trading into the lottery ahead of Thursday’s NBA Draft, appear to be kicking the tires on a Powell trade, TSN’s Josh Lewenberg reports.
The Raptors have already been gauging interest in the 25-year-old guard ahead of the draft, sources tell TSN. After signing a four-year, $42-million extension in the fall, Powell turned in a disappointing third NBA season, losing his starting job in November and then falling out of the rotation altogether.
Although they believe he can bounce back, the team’s depth has made Powell expendable.
Powell’s value may not be where it was before signing his lucrative extension, but the young, two-way guard could still draw some interest. The Raptors likely aren’t the only team that can envision a bounce-back season in 2018-19.
Nevertheless, Powell’s recent struggles likely won’t lead to a great return in a potential trade. For Toronto, a team projected to reach into the luxury tax in 2018-19, unloading Powell’s contract would provide some much-needed salary relief as they try to retain free-agent-to-be Fred VanVleet’s services.
But Powell is just one player on a team where no one appears to be untouchable. The summer of 2018, which has already placed a new head coach on the Raptors’ sideline, could be one that brings major change to the organization.
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