In a bold offseason move involving three franchises looking to retool their rosters, the Miami Heat, Los Angeles Clippers, and Utah Jazz have agreed to a significant trade, sources told ESPN. The deal sends Norman Powell to Miami, John Collins to Los Angeles, and Kevin Love, Kyle Anderson, and a 2027 second-round pick from the Clippers to Utah.
The Heat, fresh off a turbulent season that included the blockbuster Jimmy Butler trade to Golden State and an abrupt first-round playoff sweep by Cleveland, have added scoring depth and reliability in Norman Powell. The 32-year-old shooting guard is coming off his finest NBA season, averaging a career-best 21.8 points per game and shooting 42% from three-point range while starting all 60 games he played — both career highs.
Powell, a known gym rat and one of the league’s most relentless workers, fits perfectly into Miami’s “Heat Culture” under Erik Spoelstra. He provides the offensive punch the team sorely missed after Butler’s departure. Entering the final year of his contract at $20.4 million, Powell is extension-eligible, and the Heat are expected to explore a long-term commitment as they reconfigure around Bam Adebayo and rising star Jaime Jaquez Jr.
The Los Angeles Clippers, meanwhile, continue to prioritize financial flexibility while still trying to compete in the Kawhi Leonard-Paul George era — albeit with new faces. Adding John Collins, a 6-foot-9 forward who averaged 19.0 points and 8.2 rebounds in 40 games for the Jazz last season, gives the Clippers the type of athletic, rim-running big they’ve long coveted.
Collins is also on an expiring contract worth $26.5 million, and, like Powell, was unlikely to re-sign with his previous team. His addition follows a string of moves by Los Angeles focused on short-term flexibility. The Clippers recently signed James Harden to a new two-year, $81.5 million contract, with the second year being a player option and partially guaranteed, and added veteran big man Brook Lopez on a two-year, $18 million deal with a team option.
With Collins now in the fold and Leonard entering the final two years of his contract, L.A. remains focused on preserving cap space while still trying to chase a championship. The Clippers still have the $5.3 million non-taxpayer midlevel exception available and are expected to pursue a shooting guard and a secondary playmaker to round out the roster.
For Utah, the trade is another step in their broader rebuild. The Jazz ship out Collins and acquire Kevin Love, Kyle Anderson, and a 2027 second-round pick from the Clippers, while creating a massive $26.6 million trade exception in the process. That exception could prove valuable at the trade deadline or next offseason as Utah looks to stay financially nimble.
Love, 36, a five-time All-Star, brings veteran experience but is not expected to be a major on-court contributor. He averaged 5.3 points and 4.1 rebounds in 23 games for Miami last season. Anderson, 31, arrived in South Beach via the Jimmy Butler-Golden State trade and averaged 6.7 points across 25 games with the Heat.
The Jazz have been busy this offseason. In addition to this trade, Utah:
- Traded Collin Sexton and a second-rounder to Charlotte for Jusuf Nurkić
- Completed a contract buyout of Jordan Clarkson
With this latest move, Utah continues to collect assets and clear future cap space while keeping its young core and future flexibility intact.
Trade Summary
| Team | Receives |
| Miami Heat | Norman Powell |
| LA Clippers | John Collins |
| Utah Jazz | Kevin Love, Kyle Anderson, 2027 Clippers 2nd-round pick, $26.6M trade exception |
This three-team deal addresses key priorities for all parties:
- Miami adds scoring and toughness.
- The Clippers get a high-flying frontcourt presence on an expiring deal.
- Utah continues to build for the future, both financially and in terms of draft capital.
Expect more movement in the coming weeks as teams position themselves for both immediate contention and long-term planning in a fast-shifting NBA landscape.
