Toronto Raptors: What’s next for Norman Powell?

Toronto Raptors - Norman Powell (Photo by Ron Turenne/NBAE via Getty Images)
Toronto Raptors - Norman Powell (Photo by Ron Turenne/NBAE via Getty Images)

After a promising first two seasons, Norman Powell found himself out of the rotation last year. How should the Toronto Raptors handle him moving forward and what will his role be next season?

Going from surprise rookie contributor on a team that made the Eastern Conference Finals to someone who spends more time on TV commercials than the court is certainly not the ideal path of most young players in the NBA.

Norman Powell finds himself in this exact situation, with limited options going forward.

Powell was instrumental in a few key games during the Raptors’ 2016 playoff run, when they advanced further in the postseason than ever before (or since).

Powell played well enough to convince Raptors management that Terrence Ross was no longer a necessity on the wing. As a result Ross was dealt halfway through the following regular season as part of the Serge Ibaka deal.

More from Raptors Rapture

After developing into the presumptive small forward of the future, Powell got paid….$42 million.

But Powell’s fall from relevance happened even faster than his rise.

Powell was primed for a break-out year when the 2017-18 regular season began.  The previous starter at small forward, P.J. Tucker, was gone, and Powell began the year in his place. His eventual slip out of the rotation was born out of a problem that a lot of teams would love to have,  a rookie with too much upside.

OG Anunoby was inserted into the starting lineup in place of Powell, proving to be a better fit almost immediately.  Anunoby possesses a very long and athletic frame that he uses to lock down opposing wing players.  He pairs it with a serviceable 3-point shot and good off ball movement.

Casey then found another diamond in the rough, Fred VanVleet, who proved to be one of the toughest and most dependable Raptors. He, along with others, helped eat up all the minutes Powell would have received off the bench.

This was largely out of Powell’s control; he found himself on a very good team that just didn’t have the minutes to throw his way.

The question Powell now faces after such a disappointing year is: can he bounce back, and how?

Masai Ujiri always weighs his options, and has made it clear, no one is off the block when it comes to trade talks. The problem is, Powell’s down-year brought his stock down with it, negatively impacting his market and the number of suitors he may have.

His fit in the rotation

Assuming Powell stays with the Raptors, it’s up to the newly appointed head-coach Nick Nurse, to decide his place within the rotation. Nurse could stay the course and keep Powell on the bench as the 9th or 10th man, or he could play Powell at the expense of the backcourt bench of Fred VanVleet and Delon Wright.

If VanVleet leaves the Raptors for more money elsewhere, playing time becomes more easily available. But as long as VanVleet stays, Nurse has tough choices to make.

In addition to Wright and VanVleet, Powell can also steal some minutes from C.J. Miles and OG Anunoby. Shorter than the average small forward, Powell needs to be very efficient on offense to make up for some of his defensive liabilities.

Powell’s value is in his tenacity and his ability to catch fire, but Dwane Casey’s decision to remove Powell from the rotation during the regular season really affected his confidence. Nurse has definitely inherited a log jam on the bench, but it remains a good problem to have as long as he keeps Powell motivated and engaged.

That’s easier said than done.

Hopefully Nurse’s hiring will inject new life into Powell, giving him a reason to prove his worth when the 2018-19 season begins. It will be up to Nurse to keep him engaged during the regular season, making sure he is earning significant minutes.

Next: Chances of each Raptor returning next season

If Nick Nurse gives him a chance, Norman Powell might just surprise him.