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Houston Rockets: A trade for Robert Covington isn’t as tough as you may think

By Brian K. Patterson

Minnesota Timberwolves forward Robert Covington, who should be traded to the Houston Rockets (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
Minnesota Timberwolves forward Robert Covington, who should be traded to the Houston Rockets (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) /
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The Houston Rockets reportedly want a reunion with Robert Covington as he’d be a perfect fit for their needs. What will it take to land him? Look.

Houston Rockets fans — things have been looking nice for this team as they’re cruising through the remainder of 2019 with a damn good record to boot.  They’re currently sitting at third place in the Western Conference with a 20-9 record, one that many teams in the NBA would love to rival.

I honestly feel that it’s a three-team race for the title between the Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers and Clippers.

The Houston Rockets have what few teams can admit — two superstars that have the ability to defer to each other and take over games at any given point.

The Houston Rockets have James Harden and Russell Westbrook; the Lakers have LeBron James and Anthony Davis; the Clippers have Kawhi Leonard and Paul George.

All of those ingredients with a solid supporting cast are the inner-linings to a championship-contender and this certainly puts the Houston Rockets in the conversation of teams that are ready to secure the Larry O’Brien trophy this season.

Even though this Houston Rockets team is quite talented, they still need one more player to put them over the top and you Daryl Morey is eyeing players that would be ready to embrace that role.

Kelly Iko of The Athletic is reporting that the Houston Rockets have their eyes set on a reunion with Robert Covington, a guy the team took a chance on as an undrafted free agent out of Tennessee State back in 2014.

He has since carved himself a nice niche in the NBA, having spent five seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers, before being traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves before last season’s trade deadline.

His unique industriousness was great enough for him to land a four-year, $62 million contract extension some two seasons ago, which marks the biggest payday of his life.

He currently has two full seasons left on his contract that will pay him $12.1 million in 2020-21 and $13 million in 2021-22.  Covington will earn $11.3 million this season as well.

The Houston Rockets will certainly have to make a trade with the Wolves to bring him in and their limited assets to put up in the deal could prove a deal to be difficult but not impossible with the man making a salary that’s quite movable.

The franchise still owns their first-rounder for 2020 and 2022 as well as 2023 and I think Covington, 29, is worth letting one of those picks go to bring him in.   The next few first-rounders from 2024-26 will go to the Oklahoma City Thunder, which was part of the conditions of the Westbrook trade.

If they could keep their first-round pick for this season but let go of the one for 2022, that would

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be great but it’s probably going to take that to get him moved.

The Wolves are likely going to want to bring in 34-year-old P.J. Tucker, who has an expiring contract worth $8.3 million this season with a partially guaranteed option for 2020-21.  Tucker has $2.6 million guaranteed but could earn up to $8 million if retained through the season.

This type of deal would be attractive to suitors but I just would prefer not to trade him but if it takes that plus a future first-rounder to land Covington, I would be for it.  But again, he may not cost that much and we can leave Tucker right here on the roster.

Tucker plays hard-nosed defense, can spot-up shoot and is the type of guard dog that you’d love to have on your team.  Packaging him up could mess with the chemistry balance on this team but we’d have to see what the Wolves exactly want to let go of RoCo.

dark. Next. Rockets still in hot pursuit of Andre Iguodala

I’d take Covington in a heartbeat so let’s get it done Morey!

Covington has been averaging 12.1 points, 5.4 rebounds while shooting .434/.338/.875 through 27 games — 26 starts — this season.

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