Eventually, some of the Miami Heat’s assistant coaches became worried as Norman Powell continued a post-practice workout.

The reasons didn’t point to any concerns about Powell’s strained right groin that sidelined him for the past two games and group practices. Instead, the reasons stemmed from the net repeatedly flipping over the rim following Powell’s consecutive makes from 3-point range.

“I’ll fix the net,” Powell told a handful of coaches. “Don’t worry about it.”

So Powell continued his shooting workout following the Heat’s practice on Saturday at UCLA. The repeated jumpers eventually fixed the net inside Ostin Center. That may also make Powell further prepared for his pending return.

The Heat (3-2) listed Powell as questionable for Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Lakers (4-2) at Crypto.com. In a wide-ranging interview with EssentiallySports, however, Powell sounded bullish on at least his availability in Monday’s game against the LA Clippers at Intuit Dome.

Then, Powell will face the Clippers for the first time since they traded him last summer to the Heat in a three-team deal that partly resulted in the Clippers landing forward John Collins from the Utah Jazz. That move also increased flexibility to sign veteran guard Bradley Beal after negotiating a buyout with the Phoenix Suns.

“They were saying how much they valued me and loved me as a Clipper,” Powell told EssentiallySports. “Now I feel like it was a lot of blown smoke.”

Powell spoke to EssentiallySports on a number of topics: the latest on his injury, his strong start with Miami, and facing off against his former team. Powell also shared his outlook on All-Star chances, why Bam Adebayo hasn’t won a Defensive Player of the Year award yet, his favorite ‘Heat Culture’ experiences, and his efforts to help with relief efforts related to Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica. 

Editor’s note: The following one-on-one conversation has been edited and condensed.

What have you done, and what boxes do you need to check before getting the green light to return?

Powell: “I just know they want me to check certain boxes, seeing how I handle fast-paced movements and moving around with uncontrolled contact and things that you can’t anticipate. Once I’m able to check those boxes, I’m sure they’ll be able to give me the green light. But I feel good. I feel good moving around. I’m still taking it day-by-day. But this medical staff is great and are on top of things. They know what they’re doing, so I’m trusting them.”

What’s your outlook to play on Monday?

Powell: “My outlook is to play. You ask me that with any injury, I’ll say that my outlook is to play. Monday, Sunday, I want to play. So I want to get back on the floor and help this team win and keep building. So I’m pushing as fast as I can and as hard as I can. Obviously, all under control, and I’m trusting what they’re saying. But I’m pushing myself to show them that I’m capable of going out there and playing.”

What’s it been like to go back to a city that you’re familiar with so far?

Powell: “It’s been fun. It’s kind of weird. You spend time here and you’re home. You have a homebase and you’re around now, and you’re back as a visitor. You’re staying at a hotel. I’m like, ‘What do I do with my day? How do I get around?’ But it’s cool just being around and being able to come up here and see guys that were with me when I was at UCLA. It’s always good back in Southern California.”

I understand family plans might be hard with a back-to-back schedule. But what things are you able to do?

Powell: “Seeing some family postgame. I think they’ll spend the night after the game on Monday, so I’ll definitely get dinner with them. It’s always tough. That’s always the sacrifice we make with having this job. It limits your family time. So you see them when you can and cherish the moments that we do have. So they know what’s going on and they respect the boundaries and appreciate the time that they do get.”

Do you have an idea of what’s the ticket lot?

Powell: “The one thing about me being in the league now for 11 years is you don’t really get heavy ticket asks. So I always make sure that if they want to come see me, especially people outside of the extended family, buy their tickets, and they’ll get postgame passes, and then I’ll hang out with them afterwards. But I’m not a guy that gets 30 tickets for everybody. It’s a good amount of numbers.”

What do you hope and plan for what a ‘revenge game’ will look like on Monday?

Powell: “Win, honestly. I’ve never been a guy that cares about stats. It will come and it will happen as long as I play the game the right way and trusting your work. I’m never going to press. I just care about getting the win. However that looks like, whether I got 30 [points], eight [rebounds], and four [assists] or I got 10 [points], two [rebounds] and two [assists] or five [points], five [rebounds] and five [assists], it doesn’t matter to me. I want to get a win. That’s the best revenge right there. It doesn’t matter if you got stats, and you lose. I want to win.”

What do you expect the atmosphere and emotions will be like?

Powell: “I think the atmosphere is going to be crazy. I think it’ll be a great game. I’m looking forward to being back in there. The fans were great. Since day one, they supported me even after being traded. I still see comments and things like that, and DMs in my pictures and in my messages on how much they miss me and they want me back there and everything like that. So I’m expecting something good. I don’t know if they’re going to give a tribute video. But if they do, it should be a good one with a good reception.”

Yeah, you have plenty of highlights so there’s enough footage.

Powell: (laughs) “For sure.”

What would be your highlight reel for what you did for the Clippers franchise?

Powell: “I think I have a few records there. If I do get a highlight, the first points ever made at Intuit Dome were by me. There were a couple of dunks. I dunked in Denver. So there’s a few highlight dunks there and some big-time buzzer-beater 3s. I think it’ll be great. There’s a lot of emotion and screaming from the highlights. It should be a nice little welcome back.”

Both before and after the trade, what was the messaging you got on what the Clippers’ interest level was with extension talks and the feedback when they decided otherwise?

Powell: “Since my exit meeting of last season up until I got traded, they were talking about extension. They were saying how much they wanted me there. They were saying how much they valued me and loved me as a Clipper. Now I feel like it was a lot of blown smoke. They were talking about doing an extension. I was going on vacation. They were talking about how they were going to figure it out when we got back around Summer League, when the stuff opened up. I was talking with my agent on what it was going to be. I won’t get into that. There’s a lot of stuff behind the scenes that kind of didn’t make sense to me. But they were talking extension all the way up until I got traded.”

What gave you the impression that it was ‘blown smoke’ as opposed to it just being an unexpected opportunity?

Powell: “I think after I talked to T-Lue about what I wanted in terms of an extension and what I was looking for, I don’t know if that changed the course of things or whatever it was. But right around the time where smoke was in the air about teams’ interest and being traded, that’s kind of when the conversation shifted into ‘Oh, we got to get younger. We’re looking at that. A lot of the stuff that we have to deal with isn’t your fault in what you’re doing. Whatever, whatever.’ But the conversation kind of changed to ‘we love you for an extension to we got to figure out what the future looks like.’”

And second apron?

Powell: “Yeah, stuff like that. So I was just like, ‘All right.’ I still thought we were still going to get an offer and then figure it out. But after I got traded, it turned into like, ‘We were, I would’ve been cool….’ (trails off). I don’t want to say too much. It’s all good. It’s all good. ”

Understood. You had the injury. But before that, you hit the ground running [averaging 24 points on 47.7% overall and 50% from 3, 7.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists in three games]. Beyond they wanted you for a reason and you have a track record, why have you been able to hit the ground running and make an immediate impact?

Powell: “Just the style of play and the shape that I’m in and the freedom to be able to go out there and play my game. I don’t have to look over my shoulder. But I think it’s just the style of play. We got a team that doesn’t have an ego, is very selfless and is looking at how we can get better. Everybody’s mindset is on one thing, and that’s winning and being a competitive team. I feel like I got some youth back into me with the style of play with how the youth and the environment is. I’m excited and happy with where we’re at. The camaraderie that we have is very similar to my mindset, my makeup and my DNA when I approach the game.”

Spo [Heat coach Erik Spoelstra] marveled at your off-ball game because it’s not always a given in the NBA. What’s been the key to thrive in that role?

Powell: “I think honestly, it’s just the different roles that I’ve been placed in. I’m finding ways to be impactful throughout the course of my career. I’ve always talked about how I’m a plug-and-play guy. You can play me off the ball. You can play me on the ball. You can play me in limited minutes. Whatever. I’ll find ways in the flow of the game to be impactful and make a statement, and just being able to read what the defenses are doing. I don’t have to have the ball to dribble six or eight times to get a shot off. I can get all my stuff off in the flow. And I’ve worked really hard at that. So I think it just complements well, and it makes me a very versatile and useful player. You can place me anywhere on the floor, and I’ll be useful.”

They are different players in different circumstances. But you have a reference point on opening the season last year without Kawhi [Leonard] and now opening the season without Tyler [Herro] and meeting that moment. What’s the correlation?

Powell: “Just being ready. For me, I’ve always envisioned myself to be this player and being in this role despite what media people say or whatever. I put the work in every single summer to be a go-to guy. That’s a mindset. I’ve always wanted to be one. I feel like I could be an All-Star if given the opportunity. I feel like I showed that last year. But I had to take a backseat based on how teams are built and wanting to win a championship. That’s kind of the catch-22 of it, I guess you could say.

You want the freedom to grow and get all the personal accolades. But you’re such a valuable piece for a championship-contending team because you can do so much and make an impact on winning that you kind of have to give yourself up for the team. I’ve been doing that my whole career because I’ve been on championship-contending teams my whole career, which is a good thing because I want championships. It’s a role that I’m ready for, and I told Tyler that I got him until he gets back. It’s going to be even more fun being able to play with another dynamic scorer and offensive threat on the floor as well.”

Given that dynamic, what is your outlook this season on becoming an All-Star?

Powell: “It’s the same as every season. I want to be an All-Star. I believe I’m an All-Star. I tell myself every day I’m an All-Star. I just want to go out there and prove it. But I don’t got to force anything. I know I’ve put the work in. I’ve sacrificed for 11 seasons and more to prepare myself for these moments. So it’s just about going out there and trusting the work and everything that I’ve put into it and being mentally stable and even keeled.”

Bam is kind of like you, where he has a track record, but the accolades aren’t always there. He’s done it all defensively, but DPOY isn’t there yet. What do you think are things that he doesn’t get appreciation for?

Powell: “The game is very political. They’re going to go with and promote the ones that are going to sell tickets and bring in viewership and things like that. He’s not a loud person that is out there, extroverted and talking about himself and doing podcasts and in the media. He’s reserved. He’s quiet. He works hard. He obviously has tremendous talent, and they see that being with the USA team and doing what he’s been able to do. But a lot of players fly under the radar because they don’t self-promote, the market that they’re in, or the players that they have around them. So he flies under the radar.

But if you look at his stats and what he’s able to do, he’s been great. I think UD [Udonis Haslem] being on ‘NBA on Prime,’ UD will be talking about him a lot more and we’ll be getting a lot more buzz, especially if we keep winning and doing the right things. He’ll be right up there in the conversation this year.”

I know it’s early, but do you have a favorite ‘Heat culture’ experience?

Powell: “Honestly, my favorite so far has been in preseason. I don’t know if I’m giving away trade secrets. But we had a board of former players with UD, Alonzo [Mourning] Caron [Butler], Dwyane [Wade] sitting down, and they’re talking about ‘Heat Culture,’ their experience and what it means. They played a video.

For me, I’m such a player that is like that and cares about winning and pushing myself and setting the standard and going after that goal. I think honestly that was my favorite experience with seeing what it means to actually put on that Heat jersey and see what ‘Heat Culture’ embodies. I feel like this is the place for me. This is the team that I wanted to go to even before I signed my extension in Portland. They were on my list of free-agent destinations. But I’m just glad it happened now.”

What was in the video?

Powell: “It was just former players and even current players talking about the Miami Heat, what it means, and what we strive for and what the focus is. We’re not a team that is rebuilding. We’re not an organization that is about rebuilding. We’re contending. No matter what the media says, no matter what the outside world is, what’s in between these walls is about working every single day to bring another championship.”

D-Wade was one of your favorite guys to watch. What was it about him that really resonated with you compared to any other great players?

Powell: “It was his play style. I looked at growing up, the guys that went before me and learning from them just with his playstyle, his mentality and his attack mindset, his slashing ability. We have similar size and similar athleticism when I was growing up. So I wanted to model my game after that, with being dynamic and a downhill attacker.

Then it’s the work ethic and trying to increase that. I’ve always said that with just the mentality of Kobe [Bryant] and the skillset and playing style of Dwyane Wade made it into my own thing and my own game as well. With the similarities in our games when I was growing up, I was really attached to that and wanting to embody it.”

Have you crossed paths with him since joining the Heat?

Powell: “Yeah, I saw him in Europe. We talked. He’s done some podcasts talking about me when I was younger in the league going up against him. And even on opening night, the first game against the Knicks, I saw his comments about my first game.

That’s all cool for me. I’m still a little kid playing this game that I love, even though it’s been 11 years. It’s been surreal for me. I appreciate it and don’t take any moment for granted. Being able to put this jersey on where one of my favorite players used to play and having his locker, those are full circle moments that I can never draw up and envision as a kid.”

I know you have connections in Jamaica. Do you know if any family and friends that are there are all right given what’s going on with the hurricane?

Powell: “Everyone that I’ve talked to are doing well. Obviously, they’re still assessing the damage and what’s going on. There’s still tremendous flooding, and people aren’t able to move. But everybody’s safety is the most important thing. Everybody that I know – family and friends – are safe.”

Do you still do community work over there?

Powell: Yeah, and it’s still ongoing. I’m donating $100,000 to the relief through my foundation – ‘Understand the Grind Foundation.’ If anybody wants to get involved, they can donate through direct relief. Also through my brand and foundation, I have a Jamaican clothing line and collection where all proceeds for anybody that purchases will go directly to Jamaica and help the efforts there.

If they want to check that collection out, it’s at normanpowell.com, and they can be a part of the support. But outside of the hurricane that just hit, I’m working on getting a facility up there created. So there is an actual good basketball facility for people to go and the kids to go work out and increase their game. There is no facility in Jamaica that’s good. Everything’s outside or not in great condition. So I’m trying to raise money to get that done, too.”

Where in Jamaica?

Powell: “I’m talking to the coaches, but it’s either going to be Kingston or Montego Bay.”

What’s your hope on what that does?

Powell: “I hope that it continues to lay a foundation of growing basketball in Jamaica. It’s not one of the biggest sports there. But there is a lot of interest. I think what we did in the summer with advancing in FIBA for the first time in the country’s history created a lot of buzz.

It set up the future for Jamaica basketball. But being able to get a facility down there where they can go, kids can go, players can go, coaches can take kids to work out, increase their game and understanding of basketball, that’s only going to make basketball in Jamaica stronger.”

Mark Medina is an NBA insider for Essentially Sports. Follow him on X, Blue Sky, Instagram, Facebook and Threads.