Report: Expectation is Norman Powell Re-Signing With Blazers

According to The Athletic's John Hollinger, competing teams believe Norman Powell will re-sign with the Blazers.

The Trail Blazers' first free agency domino feels likely to fall soon. Even better news? It's poised to tumble in the direction of Portland.

According to The Athletic's John Hollinger, the league-wide expectation is that Norman Powell will re-sign with the Blazers.

Two names you don’t hear much about right now are Will Barton and Norman Powell. Although both are unrestricted free agents, teams seem to be operating with the idea that Barton (Denver) and Powell (Portland) are likely to return to their current teams.

Portland acquired Powell at the trade deadline knowing he would likely decline the $11.5 million player option on his contract for next season. Though league rules prevented Neil Olshey from broaching future contract discussions with Powell at the time of the trade, it's an open secret that teams and players often engage in wink-wink negotiations on forthcoming deals before trades are consummated.

Reporting about Powell's plans in free agency had been relatively scant leading up to Monday. Some Blazers fans took that palpable silence as an indication he was considering other teams, but this latest intel suggests it was more a reflection of Powell's imminent re-upping in Portland.

Even murmurs about competing interest from other teams, like below from Bleacher Report's Jake Fischer, includes the caveat of Powell's decision looming especially large for the Blazers.

Portland officials and executives across the league took note of Detroit's maneuvering over the weekend, which allowed the Pistons to clear upward of $20.2 million in space. That could present an opportunity for Powell to reunite with his former head coach Dwane Casey—ditto for a scenario where DeRozan signs with Detroit. But the Trail Blazers losing out on Powell would hold critical ramifications for their quest to refortify their roster around Damian Lillard.

As covered extensively at All Trail Blazers, Powell signing elsewhere would rid capped-out Portland of his salary slot—giving the Blazers even less of a chance to meet Damian Lillard's mandate of building a title-worthy supporting cast around him. Losing Powell after swapping him for Gary Trent Jr., a restricted free agent, would be a tough pill for Olshey to swallow, too.

Charting Portland's potential path forward without Powell is basically impossible. His departure could very well sound an alarm that prompts a trade demand from Lillard sooner rather than later.

Take a breath though, Rip City. All momentum is pointing to Powell re-signing with the Blazers, ensuring they avoid that doomsday scenario—at least for now.

[John Hollinger, The Athletic] [Jake Fischer, Bleacher Report]

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