“This is a signal to the league ‘we are coming in loaded next season’” - Zach Lowe believes the LA Clippers have possibly hit a ‘home run’ by trading for Robert Covington and Norman Powell

Norman Powell and Robert Covington have been traded to the Los Angeles Clippers as the first big trade winding down the trade deadline. Even though this trade will bolster the Clippers' chances in the playoffs this season, ESPN's Zach Lowe reckons the trade is more about next season as the Clippers look to challenge for their first NBA title.

The Clippers have not been seen as genuine contenders this season because Kawhi Leonard has missed the entirety of the season following ACL surgery in the offseason. To make matters worse, the Clippers' other star, Paul George, has gone down with an elbow injury and should play again this season but has missed 28 games in total throughout the campaign.

The Clippers sit in eighth place in the Western Conference standings, while having both of their main pieces out for massive portions of the season.

Speaking on the "NBA Today" show, Lowe, one of the best NBA media commentators who also possesses a deep knowledge of stats, believes trading for Powell was a move made with the future in mind, however it also benefits the team now.

“This trade helps them right now, but it is more about next year. This is a sound blow by the Clippers, ‘We are going into next season, hoping to the favorites to win the NBA Championship with Kahwi and Paul George back… This is a signal to the league ‘we are coming in loaded next season.”

The transaction already appears to be a clear win for the Clippers and their future, without giving up too much. The Portland Trail Blazers received three players in Eric Bledsoe, Justice Winslow and Keon Johnson, with Bledsoe the only player averging over 20 minutes per game this season, with the other two playing under 15 minutes a night.

On top of that, the Trailblazers traded for Powell last season at the trade deadline and then went on to pay him handsomely this off-season, in the form of five-year, $90 million deal.

How does Norman Powell help the Clippers now and next season?

Los Angeles Clippers new shooting guard Norman Powell with the ball

Norman Powell is defiantly not one of the flashy, marquee names around the NBA, but he is certainly an excellent role player. For his career, he is averaging 11.2 points in 22.4 minutes per game, shooting 46% from the field and 38% from three.

It has taken some time for Powell to grow into his full NBA-self, but over the last three seasons he has averaged 17.8 points in 31.2 minutes, shooting 47% from the field and 41% from three. He provides the Clippers with an additional scoring option this season to offset the team's shooting woes in the absence of their primary stars.

However, next season, he just might prove to be the perfect 3-and-D player the Clippers need alongside Leonard and George. Powell has turned himself into a knockdown three-point shooter but has shown he can be a solid wing defender too. In the first five years of his career, Powell posted a defensive rating below 110 each season before his rating shot to around the 116 mark over the last two seasons.

The issue has not been with him entirely, though. While on the Trail Blazers, Powell predominantly played the small forward position, despite being only 6-feet and 3-inches tall. Powell was tasked with defending small forwards who had a noticeable size advantage over him.

This was due to the fact that the Trail Blazers do not have many guards who are able to defend well. Which ultimately put Powell in a difficult position on defense as he faced mismatches on a nightly basis. With the Clippers, he can transition back to being a shooting guard and defending at a solid level once again, while sporting an improved three-point shot.

If the Clippers win the NBA Championship next season, Norman Powell might play a significant role in that. This trade could potentially end up being a massive steal for the Los Angeles-based side.