LOS ANGELES — The Clippers are acquiring guard Norman Powell and wing Robert Covington from Portland in exchange for a package that includes Eric Bledsoe, Justise Winslow and Keon Johnson, a person with knowledge of the finalized deal confirmed Friday.
The trade could put the Clippers in position to make more deals ahead of the Feb. 10 trade deadline because Covington's $12.9 million contract expires following this season, and that money that could be used to match salaries to add another player later.
The Clippers also sent a 2025 second-round pick to Portland in the deal.
The centerpiece is Powell, the former UCLA guard who will be under contract through 2025-26 and figures to be a strong defensive and offensive complement to the currently unavailable Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, who are both recovering from injuries. That aligns with the Clippers' belief that their window to win a title can remain open for a while — a belief that hinges on the contracts of Leonard and George, which both run through the 2024-25 season.
To get Powell, the Clippers gave up Johnson, a 19-year-old rookie drafted in the first round in July. Winslow had become an important part of the rotation in recent weeks with his downhill drives but had limited footing in the rotation at full strength. Bledsoe had fulfilled a backup point guard role to the Clippers' liking but his contract was only partly guaranteed next season, making him a candidate to be moved.
By trading Bledsoe, however, the Clippers will be in the market for another point guard.
The trade also opened a roster spot, with the team now having 14 standard contracts. That creates opportunity to convert the two-way contract of wing Amir Coffey, who had become vital in recent weeks, to a standard NBA contract and hold on to him longer.
