On multiple occasions before and during the season, Miami Heat guard Norman Powell made it known that he was willing to be with the organization long-term.
Fast forward over nine months after the 6-foot-2 guard was dealt, and there are just as many questions about his future with the Heat beyond 2025-26 as there were then.
During his exit interview on Thursday, there was a slight change of tune in Powell’s voice compared to his previous comments publicly.
“I’m not sure yet,” Powell said when asked about whether he thinks an extension or not is coming over the next few weeks. “I’m going to talk to my agent. I know my agent’s going to talk to [Heat president Pat Riley] and the front office and figure those things out.
“I’ll connect with my agent sometime next week and figure out how those conversations went. And then we’ll start the game plan (for free agency) from there.”
Norman Powell lone season with Miami was a roller coaster:
Even though Powell, who turns 33-years-old in May, had arguably the best season of his career, it was the tale of two campaigns.
The first, happy-go-lucky side, was an essential shot in the arm. But Powell struggled mightily after the All-Star break due to numerous injuries, including a nagging groin injury plus a respiratory illness in late March. Powell averaged just 17.5 points post-All-Star break (compared to 23.0 before) on 58.2 percent true shooting.
Moreover, his defense, once a strong point earlier in his career, continued to decline. And Powell didn’t have the same burst or advantage creation that he did earlier in the year.
The 11-year veteran played this year on a $20.4 million expiring and is eligible to sign a $128.5 million extension before becoming an unrestricted free agent in late June. Would you re-sign the one-time All-Star if you were the Miami Heat? Let us know in the comments below!
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No shit Bam! They could take Strus’ 3 point shot away during a crucial ECF playoff game after waiting several plays, but they can’t review a potentially flagrant foul 2? WTF Silver!!! You’re a disgrace. Time for you to GTFOH!!!
Bam Adebayo sounds off on NBA’s lenient punishment for LaMelo Ball’s “hostile act” (Yardbarker Apr 17, 2026 8:45 AM ET)
Bam Adebayo has questioned the NBA’s handling of LaMelo Ball’s “hostile act,” calling out both the league’s review process and the impact of the punishment handed down.
Bam Adebayo criticizes the NBA’s handling of the LaMelo Ball incident
Speaking in comments shared during the Miami Heat’s exit interviews, Adebayo made his frustration clear.
“It doesn’t make sense that three or four plays can go by and you can review a three-point shot, but you can’t review a hostile act? I think LaMelo’s going to see it as another game,” Adebayo said.
The Heat star added, “He makes what? $30 million a year? The $60K fine, he’s not even going to see.”
Dont forget that Ball tried to trip Bam
before but did not suceed in 2024.
Bumboclattt it was a pleasure powell, but time to move on, whether it’s sign and trade, or just letting u walk. I hope herro is gone too.
“I hope herro is gone too.“
My thoughts exactly
Best option for both Powell and the Heat is a sign and trade to a contender in need of a scoring pop for a rotational big or something. There will only be a handful of teams with cap space and I doubt anybody spends it on Powell. The Heat will be operating over the cap, so there’s only a handful of ways to add significant talent to the roster. Might as well get the most out of Powell vs. letting him walk.
Buh bye
Waving bon voyage like the cruise ships leaving the port of Miami. I like Powell. Good dude. It’s a shame he was injured.
Great player, but probably not the right one for the Heat. Partially because there is another one of the similar type in Miami.
There is something about those shooting guards. A lot of really good ones around the league, but it seems that those, who are able to score and are not doing other things, like assisting, playmaking, rebounding or defending, has no value.
The likes of Lavine, Rusell, Polle, Hield, Beal, Thomas , all 20 ppg scores when given a chance, are on the way out of the league.
Both Powell and Herro are on the higher level then those, both all stars, but also with one feet in that group. Thats one of the reason, why Herro is not wanted on trade market and why he shouldn’t get the max.
As for Powell, he will get his new contract somewhere, but not for more he is making today, and not in Miami.
As I said, great player, but not the right player for the Heat.
True.
Great? I mean Norm offered some excitement this season, but he’s lack luster defensively. He’s not going to improve.
Don’t waste the cap space and play some kids in that role.
I agree with that, but that doesn’t mean he is not great player. He is.
Posting here is like exiting a place of chaos and finding a little serenity.
Yes, I would sign him. He was, in my opinion, the Heat’s best player. He was the player with the best chance of scoring during crucial moments. He got injured and was slowed somewhat, and that is understandable. It doesn’t mean he lost a step. I would pay him a higher salary, but only up to a point.
OTOH, judging by his exit comments, he’s likely gone. He will test the market and will likely get paid better somewhere else. But, he’s the better player than Herro and if it comes down to keeping one or the other because their games overlap somewhat, I keep Norm, even though he is older. Or I let both walk and use their salary elsewhere.
The point is probably moot as his exit words are those of a player who is trying to be nice, but is moving on.
I have my Castrol GTX ready. Really though, I can’t disagree with the Herro comparison, though they are similar. But I don’t think he’ll be back and I hope he works with the team to facilitate a sign and trade so we get a player or pick in return.
hes a much better defender.therefore better all round player.first half year looked like next coming of d wade.then injuries slowed him and wasnt same player.pat loves his ky vanilla sees himself in him.i got one more year to rip tys d i miss uncs d ,what a way to win intodays nba with tyler and unc type players only in so fla.whos the next jaco pelle jjj jovic cant wait for pat s pick this year
He’s not a good defender, he’s older and slower. Nonethess, if I had to pick one it would be Powell. In reality, the Heat is a defensive team and can’t afford to have the liability of any poor defender, unless he’s scoring 25-30 PPG and handing out 8-10 dimes.
His drives and finishing around the rim is elite for a shooting guard. His first half of the season was excellent. It’s hard to blame him for his worse performance in the second half as the whole team went downhill and he suffered from injuries. It didn’t help that there was no consistency in the line up, it’s hard to play well in such circumstances especially when the whole team is struggling.
He is a great player, but he alone will not be the Heat’s savior. Resigning him would make sense if we traded Herro, but this is unlikely. He’ll probably just get more money elsewhere.
He’s a nice guy. I wish him well. It’s time Miami stopped pretending the team is one ss away from contender status. It isnt. Next season should be a gap year, not just another one ending in self imposed mediocrity
I don’t think we are gonna get a rebuild. More likely that they keep the same course I am afraid. But we’ll see. I also think Riley should retire, show me an 80 yr old who is better at anything than people in their 40-60. it’s just a natural process. Anyway this was a third season of stagnation, something has to change. Somebody has to right this ship’s course.
Ageism sometimes is appropriate. You don’t want a seventy three year old dentist, like me, working on your teeth, so I retired at 71. You don’t want an over seventy airline pilot either. At eighty, Pat should be enjoying the fruits of his very successful life. It is pure hubris and ego that he attempts to carry on, especially in light of his recent results. And, the part everyone should be most disturbed by is his lack of accessibility and accountability to the fans.
What bothers me about Riley is, that he is kind of stuck in the paste. Its not unusual for his age to remember good old days, but only his family is obliged to listen those stories, not millions of fans.
The best GMs are also very good prophets… its not easy to predict what will happen in future, which player will develop and which wont. If you stuck in the past, because of age or your character, its not a good qualification for such job.
Time is up for him. As it was for you. There is still time for honourable exit for him, with all fanfares the man deserved.
A year from now and after another such season that exit wont be pretty.
To be clear, I respect Riley for his achievements and I don’t mean it in a bad way. But hes just not gonna get any younger.
Well, generally you’re right, but that isn’t always the case. I am more well versed in finance, history, and the stock market than many younger people I come across and I am not too far away from that age. Maybe my faculties will take a nose dive over those next several years, we’ll see. SM and 30 are also very wise and heading in that direction. I have admired Warren Buffett for a long time, so there are exceptions. Riley still seems highly intelligent, but it may be best if he keeps the president title and gets a younger GM.
I hope my comment wasn’t insensitive. Of course age brings more experience, wisdom and perspective, which gives older people an edge in this regard over younger people. So they can still continue to excel in many fields. But along with age comes less adaptability and therefore I don’t think people of Riley’s age should generally be in executive positions. There are exceptions, like Warren Buffet or the late Charlie Munger. I admired them myself,but most of the people don’t manage to keep their minds in such shape at this age.
No, not insensitive. It’s a fair statement. People here have swayed me that the team would be in a better position if someone else was responsible for personnel.
It isn’t age alone. It’s whether a person is focused on the past or the future. Riley is trying to fit a square peg in a round hole…living in the past. In order to be one ss away from contention, a team needs to already have a SS on board. Miami doesn’t. In reality, it is 2 ss away from contention.
A good executive should have the wisdom and experience to plan ahead and be prepared for the future. Riley goes into each season hoping for the best if he can land a whale and having to accept the worst (mediocrity) if he doesn’t.
4 years of play-ins should tell him his system doesn’t work. We should find out soon if he he has accepted that reality (NBA 2026) or if he continues to livie in a fantasyland (Showtime 1980).
Really good comment about the need to have a team structurally ready to receive the superstar before acquiring one. Most times, but not all, the superstar will be the person who picks that team and usually for that reason.
In fairness, in some professions you can, but not always do, get better with age and wisdom. That would disclude any operating of any kind of machinery. But, there are also endeavors that are based in mostly mental assessments, where people do lose a step related to creativity and adaptability.
No question though, a stock market analyst can continue to function at an extremely high level, maybe higher than ever before, from also knowing patterns that emerge over time. And, I don’t know this for sure, but I would imagine a psychologist who maintained all his skills and faculties, could be better from his or her accumulated wisdom than he ever was at eighty.
Having said all that, it sure does not seem like Riles is as effective as he used to be.
THANK YOU! He is not ‘a much better defender’ as Mr prejudiced states. I would also pick him if I had to take just one, but not because his skin is darker. And some folks around here should prepare themselves, that amongst very good available draft prospects are players like Mara, Steinbach, Mullins, Stirtz, Haugh, and Krivas who may not fit the ‘profile’ some prefer. My 2 favorites, Yaxel and Phillips ((sounds like a law firm or comedy team) are black, but that’s not why I like them. I like them because I think they would be great fits, more so Yaxel because I think we have enough pg right now.
**Philon, not Phillips**
mr prejudice lol no afr americans are better athletes agree homer? norm is a better defender than possibly the worse defender east of the duncan river,
You don’t give a sht about how many times I’ve shown you data that disproves your idea that Herro is ‘the worst defender’. He’s not. Is he a poor defender? Yes. And while black athletes are generally better, you disparage white players just because they’re white. And you’re damn right that I’m a homer. I don’t change my loyalty to the team depending on which way the wind blows like you do. You’re only a fan when they’re winning and, to me, that’s not much of a fan at all, it’s a fair weather fan. Here’s the definition:
A fair-weather fan is a sports supporter who only actively follows or cheers for a team when they are successful, winning, or popular, often abandoning them during losing seasons.
i support them win or lose level of interest varies depending on how good or bad we are
Hm.. seems like a definition of fine weather fan, if your interest falls to 0 when they are really bad and rise to 100 % when they are really good.
Either way, it’s moot. Miami can’t afford both and only one is under contract in 2026-2027. Until and unless Herro is traded, there is no room for two below average defenders.
Sometimes it takes more guts in this world to be non-p.c. This is especially true when all of league history and all the current assessments of every other team, but one at this time (Boston), are not in alignment with the Heat’s approach. Quite honestly, that is when the more egalitarian arguments do break down. But, alas, no awards are given for contrarianist courage, only antipathy.
If skin color were a determining factor, the NBA (and NFL) followings would be fractions of what they are.. Racial bias cuts both ways. Neither have a place in sports. This isn’t 1946.
Or in society. Or on HHH.
We do have to be concerned about fairness going either way. And we can do that and keep this a meritocracy too. But, it’s just as unhealthy to sweep under the rug the very unique approach of our Miami Heat in this very unique global phenomenon known as the NBA.
And, some of the many fascinations and intrigues around this wonderful sport are associated with the multicultural nature of the skilled athletes that come into it. This sport has given far more to world harmony than just its small place in society, and some of that is related to the diversity of types of athleticism and creativity that we get from watching the best the world has to offer.
Having said that, some team building relationships do appear to be close to axiomatic, based on empirical data. And the data does seem to suggest that too much of some things are to be avoided.
I already know and acknowledge your more pc attitude towards this issue. And I don’t want to even think about how I will feel if things go down that way. And, I am saying that as a person who prides themselves on taking to heart all the progressive attitudes towards fairness in every possible nuance. Let’s just get the best player at our position. But, I am going to say be especially wary of the player who is highly rated who somehow “falls” to someone drafting when we do.
slow no way he can still get to the hoop and dazzle,might have lost half step but hes still pretty quick
Miami doesn’t need 30 somethings. It needs youth. I would prefer to see the Heat get rid of its older players who may not be around to see a rebuild through. This is not a contender season coming up, regardless how much smoke Riley tries to blow or where he tries to blow it.
knick fans were saying that before they got brunson.it only takes one in hoops to turn a franchise around.who is the next brunson hali sga whos ready to explode,good gms focus on a player just before hes gonna be a star and trade any of theirs to get the budding star any ideas out there sun the next brunson.brunson wasnt great in dallas,dont think hali was great with sac
Question: How many championships has Brunson brought the Knicks?
Answer: None. They haven’t been in the NBA Finals this century and were in Eastern Conference Finals only once in 25 years (2000-2025).
As we both know, there is no NBA Award for runner-up.
I do agree there is a talent in picking players via draft, trade or free agency just before they have their breakout seasons. There are several examples of late bloomers around the NBA who bloomed only after they were traded to a new team.