"It can be anybody’s night" - Norman Powell ready to sacrifice to thrive in Clippers' star-studded setup
Norman Powell and the Los Angeles Clippers are preparing for the arrival of superstar guard James Harden and the changes his trade will bring to the team's lineup. The Clippers sent four players to the Philadelphia 76ers (Nic Batum, KJ Brown, Marcus Morris, Robert Covington) and shook their roster up, as they got Harden and elite defender PJ Tucker in return.
After the trade, the Clippers have Russell Westbrook, James Harden, Paul George and Kawhi Leonard on their roster, so building chemistry will be one of the things that coach Tyronn Lue will need to figure out.
It will also be significant to see whether all four will start for the Clippers or if either will come off the bench. Westbrook used to come off the bench for the Lakers before getting traded last February.
"It’s beneficial to our team," Norman Powell told Mark Medina of Sportskeeda.
"Any time you get another Hall-of-Fame player or superstar on your team, it’s always fun to figure it out and see how it’s all going to work and how we all come together. I think everybody is locked in on the goal at hand. It’s going to be fun," he added.
The negotiations between the Clippers and Sixers stalled for several weeks due to the Clippers' unwillingness to agree to Philadelphia's high asking price. The Sixers wanted Terance Mann and, or Powell to be included in the deal, but the Western Conference powerhouse eventually made both players untouchable to any trade talks.
"It shows the value they see in us," Powell told Sportskeeda, "You always want that as a player in a league like this: to find a team, organization and front office that believes in your ability, believes in what you bring to the table and believes you can help them win at a high level."
Norman Powell is ready to take whatever role is needed for the Clippers to succeed
With the arrival of Harden, Mann and Powell will come off the bench for the franchise. During their time with the Clippers, they have both been part of the starting lineup or have come off the bench.
As Powell told Mark Medina and Sportskeeda, it is all about the Clippers and the team's success, so he is ready to take over whatever role is assigned to him.
"Everywhere I’ve gone with every team that I’ve had every year, it’s all about fitting in and what that role is and executing the role to the best of your ability:" Norman Powell, who has played for the Toronto Raptors (2015-21), Portland Trail Blazers (2020-22) and the Clippers (2022-24), told Mark Medina.
"I’m a good plug-and-play player at any position and role because I focus on that goal. I don’t care about anything else. I know playing basketball the right way and the things you want to accomplish individually will take care of itself. Giving up yourself for the importance of the team is the most important thing," he added.
Powell has appeared in all four Clippers games this season, averaging 14.5 ppg, 3.0 rpg and 1.5 apg, on 54.3 percent from the field and 42.1 percent from three.
The Clippers have won three of their first four games this season and are now preparing for Wednesday's clash with their rivals, the LA Lakers. Meanwhile, Harden should be good for his debut on Monday vs. the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.