Portland Trail Blazers acquire Norman Powell, LA Clippers eyeing Rajon Rondo | NBA Trade Deadline 2021
After weeks of speculation, Norman Powell has been traded to another team before the NBA Trade Deadline 2021. As per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, the veteran wing will now be putting on a Portland Trail Blazers jersey, as they agreed to a deal with the Toronto Raptors that will see Rodney Hood and Gary Trent Jr. go the other way.
Meanwhile, in other NBA trade rumors, the LA Clippers are reportedly in talks with the Atlanta Hawks for veteran guard Rajon Rondo's services to bolster their backcourt.
NBA Trade Deadline 2021: Portland Trail Blazers win the race to sign Norman Powell
Norman Powell was one of the most talked-about players in recent weeks.
As reported by Marc Stein of The New York Times recently, as many as ten teams had expressed interest in acquiring the veteran wing's services. The Portland Trail Blazers happened to be one of those teams and have now completed a sensational deal to acquire him before the NBA trade deadline 2021.
The deal seems like an absolute winner for the Blazers. Powell is having a breakout season, averaging career highs in points (19.6), 3-pointers (2.8) and 3-point percentage (43.9%) per game so far.
He could give the Blazers an edge over their Western Conference rivals, something Gray Trent Jr. and Rodney Hood weren't able to do consistently.
Norman Powell's shooting prowess is well-known around the league. So the likes of Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum could get some much-needed support after carrying the team on multiple occasions in the previous few seasons.
NBA Trade Deadline 2021: Rajon Rondo, the latest guard on the LA Clippers radar
The LA Clippers are in desperate need of an elite playmaker who could organize their lethal offense moving forward.
They have been linked with the likes of Lonzo Ball. But as things stand now, the Clippers might go after Rajon Rondo, as per a report from ESPN's Brian Windhorst.
Rajon Rondo would surely be an upgrade on Pat Beverley, who hasn't been able to offer the kind of offensive help the Clippers need at the moment.
The Clippers did try to sign Rondo in the off-season. But the former Lakers guard ended up signing a two-year $15 million deal with the Hawks instead.
However, the LA Clippers are now back in their pursuit to get Rondo on board before the NBA trade deadline day. But the deal to land Rajon Rondo could be a complicated one.
Also Read: NBA Trade Deadline 2021 Live: Get the latest rumors and news updates from around the league.