The Portland Trail Blazers and LA Clippers have officially agreed to a five-player trade. Sixth-year guard Norman Powell headlines the deal, which was first reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
LA Clippers receive:
* Norman Powell
* Robert Covington
Portland receives:
* Eric Bledsoe
* Justise Winslow
* Keon Johnson
* 2025 second-round pick (via Detroit)
The LA Clippers (27-27) are just 2 1/2 games behind the Denver Nuggets for the No. 6 seed, which would keep them out of the Play-In Tournament. Injuries have wreaked havoc on the Clippers all season as they have been without All-Star guard Paul George since late December after he suffered a torn unlnar collateral ligament in his right elbow. Additionally, star forward Kawhi Leonard has been out all season as he recovers from surgery in July to repair his ACL.
Powell is averaging 18.7 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists and is shooting 40.6% on 3-pointers this season while Covington is averaging 7.6 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 1.4 apg and 34.3% on 3-pointers. Both are well-regarded as perimeter defenders and help shore up the wings for the Clippers as they look to make a playoff push.
For the Blazers, this move gives them some salary cap flexibility in the future. Bledsoe has a partially guaranteed contract for 2022-23, Winslow will be in the final year of his deal next season and Johnson — a former first-round pick — is on a cap-friendly deal as well.
This season, Bledsoe is averaging 9.9 ppg, 3.4 rpg and 4.2 rpg as a part-time starter for the Clippers, while Winslow (4.2 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 1.4 apg) and Johnson (3.5 ppg, 1.4 rpg) have served mostly as situational backups for LA.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
