The Miami Heat traded Kevin Love, Kyle Anderson and a second-round pick to get Norman Powell, setting a depressing market for two guards that the Detroit Pistons should note as they negotiate an extension with Jaden Ivey.
The trade was discussed on a recent episode of The Hoop Collective, as Brian Windhorst, Tim Bontemps and Tim MacMahon broke down the Heat’s offseason.
Powell was fresh off the best season of his career, averaging 21.8 points per game on elite shooting, splits, yet there wasn’t much of a market for him according to the hosts, which is how the Heat got him for practically nothing.
They called one-position two-guards the “least valuable archetype” in the league and discussed how teams are going away from these types of players in favor of two-way wings.
Powell is already 32 years old, so he and Ivey are far from the same player, especially when it comes to their value on the trade market. I am certain Ivey would garner more than that deal, but the Pistons might be surprised to find there wasn’t a ton of interest, so it’s something to consider as they negotiate his extension.
How much are players of this type really worth?
It’s a question Ivey can make moot by being more than a “one-position” shooting guard.
I do think it’s fair to talk about Ivey’s future with the Pistons, as he is on the final year of his deal and the emergence of Ausar Thompson and Ron Holland could make him the odd man out in some scenarios.
But there has also been some wild Ivey slander lately and people forget how well he was playing just prior to getting injured.
I think we’ll see a breakout year from Ivey, but he will have to prove he’s more than a guy who can just play off the ball with Cade Cunningham, as there are many players who could thrive in that role, including Norman Powell, who was just traded for nothing.
Ivey has to show he can dominate the game when Cade Cunningham is on the bench, that he can be the lead creator, a role he played well in limited minutes last season.
I think this will happen, in which case Ivey would no longer be in the “one position” category like Powell and would be considerably more valuable to the Pistons or someone else.
It’s why there is motivation for both sides to wait on an extension for Ivey, as he wants to prove he’s that guy and the Pistons need him to before they can commit long term.