(The Ringer) Rockets seriously interested in Robert Covington trade

So now Covington can play the 5?

Covington has always been able to play some at the 5 for a team that goes small. He is strong with a 7'2" wingspan and is a good post defender. Minnesota has also had him guard KAT's man in certain line ups. He also played some center with Philadelphia earlier in his career.

Here is a quote from him:

"“Guys are very athletic in this league and you got to use the things that sit up here and give you an advantage,” Covington said. “Being a power forward before playing center at some point in my career, I still have some tendencies.”

He is very comfortable playing the 4 and the 5 at times.

The Rockets trot out Tucker to play some 5, they certainly would do the same with Covington.

He has a career average of 6 rebounds a game.

Raw rebounding numbers are very subjective depending on position on the court, your teammates and pace of game.

Advanced statistics tend to do a better job of spelling out how good a rebounder a player naturally is.

For example, this season as a PF Covington is the third best defensive rebounding PF in the NBA behind Giannis and Green and has consistently been so. His offensive rebounding hasn't been as good, but he is usually out at the three point line so that isn't shocking.

Capela is the better rebounder, but Covington is a lot better than a simple 6.5 rebounds a game. Consider that 1/3 of the rebounds that he gets per game are 10 feet or further from the basket because they have him at the 3 point line and have him switch as well.

I don't dislike Capela......... Covington is just an elite defender that can guard 4-5 positions on switches and that makes a huge difference defensively for the Rockets.... he also gets back well on fast breaks, runs the floor well and hits 3's.

 

Yes he is a better team defender and man defender.

He has a 7'2" wingspan.... is strong enough to not be pushed around and has very quick feet for someone his size.

 

Covington and Kevin Love....

 

Kevin Love is not financially possible anymore.

 

Magic

 

Ariza also has a 7'2" wing span and I have never seen Covington affect a game defensively like Ariza in his prime.

Anyway I still don't see him being able to move the needle much on this team especially giving up Capela.

Not saying he is not a good player.

 

There's this weird phenomena around defense and it only being valued when tied to teams that are winning. Offense is respected regardless but NBA defenders tend to go unnoticed until they are doing it on a team that is competing for something. Robert hasn't been on a truly great team in the playoffs yet as he was part of the Butler trade before the 76ers took that next step. He did get first team honors that season. Ariza never got such honors.

Covington at age 29 would be the same age that Ariza was on his return to the Rockets. Imagine how good Ariza would have been with PJ Tucker in their primes. Now imagine if House can become an Ariza light and Covington becomes a PJ Tucker plus. Now imagine those two guys dog fighting with Harden the next four years together into their early 30s. Now consider that PJ Tucker will be here with them.

Losing Capela is rough and he would need to be replaced quickly with a PNR guy like Noel but it's not clear that Capela can work with Russ here due to spacing issues in the playoffs as the game slows down.

 

Send Clint to Boston and have Ainge send a 1st and Smart to Minnesota. We pick up Covington and Kanter.

 

Lol

 

Says it all.

DD

 

Crowder would be a fine addition. Definitely not worth a first though..

 

Yeah Capela wouldn’t fit that team too well. Offensively, he needs a dominant playmaker to be effective, Minny doesn’t have that. Capela would fit on a team like the Mavs, Lakers, Kings, Clippers, healthy Warriors etc. Basically Covington is not an option. We have nothing that we are willing to deal to them. Buyout market is likely our best option.

 

Clint Capela has a standing reach of 9'2" ...... Robert Covington has a standing reach of 9'0"

 

Covington was stubby an hour ago and he's short now.

There is not factual analysis to DD's take here. He's just being stubborn.

 

Dude is short - we need young, tall and athletic.

https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/2490620/robert-covington

No more 6'7" PFs.....please.......though if we can trade Westbrook for him, count me in, I like Covington as a player, just don't need him....he is not a needle mover.

DD

 

Covington is 3.5 years older than Capela but I don't think I would call him an old player.

Also, why do we need to go young? We will be nothing when Harden slows down so youth means little.

Capela is taller but their standing reach is very similar.

 

I can imagine that and like it but I still don't want to trade 2 and Capela for covington.

Like I said I don't think he moves the needle that much, that's just my opinion.

We would still have those same spacing issues with Noel and Capela has worked great with Russ.

 

Come on this is a bullshit argument - Comparing standing reach for 2 different types of players is stupid.

I mean, you can say Ariza and you have something.

Covington is an undersized PF with an OK 3pt shot.....He is PJ Tucker like - more than anything.

Would he fit here....DAMNED STRAIGHT - would he make a difference? Maybe a little as you could play him and PJ together....but what we really need is a TRUE big that can shoot the 3.....a C/PF that can come out and pop that long ball to open up the middle against teams that want to put a big guy in and clog the paint.

If they do that, and we have a big that can shoot the 3ball we get a wide open shot, if their big comes out, Harden and Westbrook have an open lane.

THAT is the missing piece here....a player like Okur, Fry, and yes to a lessor extent DMO.

DD

 

How many players are there like that though? Your examples are two retired players and DMo.