Norman Powell Leaves Heat for Bulls in $45 Million Deal After All-Star Year

The Chicago Bulls finally got their guy. Norman Powell agreed to a two-year, $45 million contract with the team Wednesday, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported. The move gives Chicago a proven scorer who just put up an All-Star season in Miami, averaging nearly 22 points over the last two years.

For the Bulls, this is about as direct as it gets. They needed offense. They got offense. Powell, 33, played 58 games for the Heat this season and averaged 21.7 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.1 steals. Not bad for a guy who was essentially Miami’s third option behind Giannis Antetokounmpo and Andrew Wiggins.

Let’s be honest: the Heat had a roster crunch. After landing Antetokounmpo, they couldn’t keep everyone. Someone had to go. It was either Powell or Wiggins, and Miami chose the younger, more versatile forward. That left Powell free to test the market, and Chicago pounced.

What Powell Brings to Chicago

The Bulls haven’t been good. That’s not mean, it’s just true. They’ve made the playoffs twice in the last 10 years. Twice. Powell isn’t going to fix everything, but he fills a real hole.

ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel laid it out simply: the deal uses up most of Chicago’s remaining cap space. But in return, the Bulls get a guy who can create his own shot, knock down threes, and doesn’t need the ball in his hands to be effective. Pair that with Josh Giddey’s playmaking, Caleb Wilson’s energy, Matas Buzelis’ length, and Nic Claxton’s rim running, and suddenly that starting five has some balance.

“Powell will be a key scoring weapon next to Josh Giddey, Caleb Wilson, Matas Buzelis, and Nic Claxton in the Bulls’ starting rotation,” Siegel noted.

It’s a short commit too. Two years. That’s smart for a team that still isn’t sure what it is. If Powell works out, great. If not, the cap sheet clears fast.

Why Miami Let Him Walk

This wasn’t about Powell’s production. He was good in Miami, real good. But the Antetokounmpo trade created a salary crunch that made it nearly impossible to keep both wings. The Heat front office chose Wiggins, 31, over Powell, 33. It’s a bet on age and defensive versatility, but Powell’s scoring pop will be missed in South Beach.

One thing worth watching: Powell just turned 33 in May. He’s not old, but he’s not young either. The Bulls are betting he’s got another couple years of high-level play left. Based on his recent numbers, that’s a reasonable bet.