Toronto Raptors: Is Norman Powell A Second-Round Steal?

The Toronto Raptors acquired the rights to Norman Powell, the 46th pick in this year’s NBA draft, also getting a 2017 first-round pick from the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange for backup point guard Greivis Vasquez.

Teams passed on him over and over, but the Raps decided they liked the look and talent of Powell and threw him into the Summer League fire as soon as they acquired him.

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Then, to some people’s surprise (though not Raptors management), Powell shined.

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Over four games, he averaged 18.3 points and 4.3 rebounds on 50.9 percent shooting from the field and 44.4 percent from downtown. He led the Raptors in scoring in each of their matchups and he dropped 20 points on Sacramento in the opener.

He was the only rookie named to the All-NBA Summer League First Team.

Powell looked explosive and one of his biggest weaknesses (the fact that he’s undersized for a shooting guard) was forgotten because he made up with it by using his tremendous athleticism so effectively.

The Raptors already have an extremely explosive (now backup) wing on the roster, but it’s never a problem having two. Powell will be a third-stringer behind starter DeMar DeRozan and former dunk champ Terrence Ross, but that seems like the perfect role for a player who is clearly coming in to work with a chip on his shoulder.

So far, Powell’s strengths have appeared in full view. His athleticism is highlighted by the fact that he’s got a 40-and-a-half inch vertical, and he’s got a crazy 6’11” wingspan despite his 6’4” height. This sure helps with his defense, which is what he was mostly praised for during the draft and made him a “Dwane Casey guy.”

There are times when T-Ross gets lost on defense and just isn’t cutting it, so there may be more opportunities for Powell to get into games than it seems at first glance. Plus, as mentioned, Casey loves playing guys who enjoy the grit and grind of the defensive side of the floor.

As for his offense, there were rumblings during the draft that his shooting wouldn’t be up to par in the NBA. But his Summer League performances have dispelled that concern (at least for now) and his shot sure looked fluid and confident every time he pulled up.

Powell isn’t a guy who you can go and isolate all the time in the NBA and hope to get buckets. But he is a great complimentary piece who can provide solid backup minutes and get out and run with his young legs, where he’s devastating on the break.

In year one for him, there will be a lot of this since spotting up and shooting is something that will require continuous work; more than just four Summer League games.

All in all, he’s another exciting piece to add to this already-youthful Toronto roster. He’s put on a show so far and already made some teams regret their picks before him. Hopefully he can keep building on that and make a nice career for himself.

Powell seems to be excited to be a Toronto Raptor, and fans are already embracing him with open arms. He’ll have high-level talent to play off of and learn from in his rookie year, and everything is set in place for him to capitalize.

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