What Does Robert Covington Bring to the Rockets?
The Rockets certainly sacrificed a pair of valuable assets on Tuesday night, sending center Clint Capela to Atlanta while dealing a first-round pick to the Nuggets. But the cost is likely worth it to Daryl Morey, who landed the apple of his eye with two days before the trade deadline. Robert Covington is a Rocket. Small-ball is here to stay. So what have the Rockets received with Tuesday's blockbuster trade? Let's get to know their latest addition.
A brief biography of the Rockets' newest wing: Covington is currently in his seventh season out of Tennessee State, joining Houston after four seasons with the 76ers and two with the Timberwolves. The 6'9" forward has earned a reputation as one of the league's sturdiest 3-and-D players, finishing 2017-18 as a member of the All-Defense team. Covington can guard four positions. He hit 37.8% of threes last season. It's no secret why his skill-set was so coveted by Morey and the Rockets.
Covington's offensive fit is simple in Houston. He'll continue to be a low-usage gunner, counted on to hit threes and attack the occasional closeout. It's been a shaky season for Covington from three–he's made just 36.1% of open triples per NBA data–though 2019-20 is more of an outlier than anything. Houston's superb spacing should create more open opportunities for Covington, a byproduct of having two MVPs on the same team. Covington has a large frame and a high release. He'll have plenty of opportunities to feast on easy threes with the Rockets.
Houston didn't acquire Covington because he's simply a solid shooter. His true value lies on the defensive end. The Rockets appear to be riding their small-ball attack to the postseason, and barring an unforeseen blockbuster, any additional center would be viewed more as a rotational body than a true Capela replacement. P.J. Tucker will continue to log significant minutes at center in the coming weeks. Covington is unlikely to play the five, but he can legitimately cover anyone outside of the Jokic-Embiid-Davis tier. Covington provides much-needed strength and wingspan next to Tucker. He's a size facsimile to Trevor Ariza, if not a shade taller. Covington's defensive prowess adds stability to the potent Westbrook-Harden-Gordon trio.
D'Antoni's new piece is among the most switchable defenders in the league. He was often Minnesota's defender-of-choice against James Harden, and he is capable of being deployed against the likes of LeBron James and Kawhi Leonard. James bullied the Rockets in the Lakers' win at the Toyota Center on Jan. 19, consistently beating Ben McLemore and Danuel House on the block or in isolation situations. Both of the aforementioned players are nice pieces, though they lack the experience (and size) to slow the game's elite scorers. Covington can be a block near the rim. He's no Tucker, but he's effective nonetheless.
Covington also adds active hands to Houston's defense. He ranks No. 7 in the league in deflections, and he's No. 7 in steals since 2016-17. The Rockets are bound to lose the rebounding battle on most nights given their size shortcomings. New Orleans held a 63-43 rebounding edge on Sunday. But the lost possessions can be made up by winning the turnover battle. The Rockets should be able to wreak some havoc in passing lanes with Westbrook, Covington and Tucker in the same unit.
Houston's small-ball experiment is becoming a staple barring an unforeseen addition, marking a key pivot in the team's season. Perhaps Morey's decision will look foolish in April or May if Nikola Jokic or Anthony Davis plows their way past the Rockets. But if the D'Antoni era needs a long playoff run to continue into 2019-20, Houston might as well go down on its own terms. The Rockets' stars function best without a true center in the lane. The last month has made that evidently clear. Westbrook has freedom to burst into the lane on every possession. Harden's step-back is unlocked when the threat of a drive is so potent.
The Covington deal is certainly a risk. But it's not hard to see the logic. Houston's end to 2019-20 is sure to be fascinating.
