The LA Clippers, a professional NBA team in the big-league market, reportedly made an assumption on one of their best players from last season that did not return. According to Jake Fischer on ‘The Stein Line’ the Clippers never offered Norman Powell an extension. They just had a feeling he would want at least $30 million as a free agent.
Therefore, with their own thoughts disrupting Powell’s tenure, which had gone exceptionally well, and because Lawrence Frank did not attempt to get the clarity he needed on the expected cost of an extension, a trade was all that was left to do.