The Los Angeles Lakers project to enter the 2026-27 season with their star-studded backcourt of Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves leading the charge once again. For as talented as they are, however, there's an unavoidable need for a third perimeter player who can put points on the board.
Compounded by the glaring lack of volume three-point shooting in Los Angeles, Norman Powell is thus a player Rob Pelinka should seriously consider approaching this summer.
Finding the ideal contract for Powell will be the hurdle, as he's 33 years of age and coming off of arguably the best individual season of his NBA career. As such, there's a strong possibility that he'll be looking for a massive pay day that could ultimately price him out of the Lakers' range.
If Powell is open to a lucrative short-term deal where both sides benefit from the risk, however, then Los Angeles shouldn't rule the possibility out of him joining Doncic and Reaves.
Powell is an elite three-point shooter who has buried 40.8 percent of his 5.5 attempts per game since the start of the 2018-19 season. He's also a proven all-around scorer who has averaged at least 21.7 points per game in each of the past two seasons—on two different teams that won at least 43 games.
Considering the Lakers may need to replace LeBron James' scoring, signing Powell to a less demanding salary could be an ideal workaround.
If Lakers can find the right contract, Norman Powell could be a dream fit
The primary reason to covet Powell is the fact that the Lakers ranked dead last in catch-and-shoot three-point field goals made in 2025-26. Powell, meanwhile, averaged 1.7 conversions per game on 40.2 percent shooting this past season and 1.8 on 45.2 percent shooting in 2024-25.
That not only speaks to Powell's versatility as a scorer who can function on the ball or away from it, but gives the Lakers clear reason to explore his fit.
In Los Angeles, Powell could fit right in as a three-point shooting specialist who can play off of Doncic and Reaves. He can also continue to excel as a slasher having shot 56.9 percent on 9.9 drives per game during the 2025-26 season.
There are fair concerns about Powell's size at 6'3", but his 215-pound frame and 6'10.75" wingspan have always helped him play bigger than he stands on defense.
That translated to Powell ranking in the 79th percentile in perimeter isolation defense and the 74th percentile in off-ball chaser defense in 2025-26, per Basketball Index. He did so while spending 58.6 percent of his possessions defending shooting guards or small forwards. He even spent 18.4 percent of his time on power forwards.
If the Lakers can negotiate a deal that limits their long-term risk in case the fit isn't as ideal as it seems, then Powell should at least be on the list of ambitious options this summer.
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