Getty Robert Covington #23 of the Los Angeles Clippers warms up
This offseason has followed the plan laid out by Chicago Bulls vice president Arturas Karnisovas during his exit interview. It was a plan that they enacted at last year’s trade deadline despite rumors that they would get active.
The Bulls are banking largely on themselves but they do have a couple of lingering issues with players like Coby White.
White is heading into the final year of his contract.
With no plans for an extension, the Bulls are expected to explore his trade value around the deadline in February. The former seventh-overall pick has been on the block for the past year with the Bulls seeking a young rotation player and a draft pick in return. Perhaps they would “settle” for a two-way forward in Los Angeles Clippers forward Robert Covington.
Robert Covington for Coby White?
Forbes contributor and host of the NBA Podcast Morten Jensen was one of many to catch wind of the Bulls’ interest in Kostas Antetokounmpo. The 6-foot-10 big man has some intriguing traits and is still just 24 years old.
Antetokounmpo also has a fan in Karnisovas, per Christos Tsaltas of SDNA. But the biggest attraction most assume is his older brother who entertained the idea of playing for Chicago.
At any rate, if the Bulls want to sign him, they will need to free up a roster spot.
Jensen suggests a 2-for-1 consolidation trade to free up that spot and he goes a step further in providing the possible framework for a potential deal.
“You try to flip Coby and another piece (maybe Tony Bradley) for a rotation caliber player at a position of need, and then use the freed-up slot on Kostas. My personal favorite: Coby, Bradley, and the Portland pick for Robert Covington.”
Bulls Get
- Robert Covington
Clippers Get
- Javonte Green
- Marko Simonovic
- Coby White
- Lottery-Protected 1st Rd Pick (via POR)
Bradley’s minimum salary would not count toward the outgoing salary, Spotrac’s roster manager tool.
The Bulls would have to add someone else to satisfy league rules.
Green and Simonovic could replace Bradley – who recently got a vote of confidence from Jensen – while the Bulls also send the lottery-protected pick from the Blazers to the Clippers for Covington who will turn 32 years old in mid-December.
Covington’s Two-Way Play
The 6-foot-7 Covington averaged 8.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.5 steals, 1.3 assists and 1.3 blocks across 71 appearances in a season split between the Clippers and Portland Trail Blazers. He shot 42% from the floor and knocked down 37.8% of his triples for the third time in four seasons.
His short Clippers tenure was more productive than his time with the Blazers.
Covington averaged 10.4 points and 5.1 boards while shooting 45% from beyond the arc in 23 games.
What a night for Robert Covington.. he led the @LAClippers offense to a franchise-record 153 points while setting his career-high in points & 3PM! #ClipperNation
🔥 43 PTS (career high)
🔥 8 REB
🔥 2 STL
🔥 3 BLK
🔥 11 3PM (career high & franchise record)
He is not a true knockdown shooter. But his offense is not the reason he could and probably should be on the Bulls’ radar. His defensive rating has ranked in the 53rd percentile or better in three of the last four seasons including two in a row and two in the 83rd percentile or better, per Cleaning the Glass.
Covington also possesses a 7-foot-2 wingspan and is best utilized as a help defender which works with guards like Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso around him.
He also provides versatility with the ability to play both forward spots and small-ball center.
White connected on a career-high 38.5% of his threes last season and is nearly a decade younger than Covington, though he lacks his defensive ability. The Bulls guard could still provide scoring pop if given a sufficient enough role.
There is still the not-so-small hurdle of getting the Clippers to agree to a trade.
A Deal is Unlikely (For Now)
As Jensen points out, the Clippers like Covington a lot. The two sides just agreed to a two-year, $24 million extension in May of this year. And Los Angeles is expected to be one of the top teams in the Western Conference next season.
However, they also roster several players with lengthy injury histories and concerns including their best two players in Paul George and Kawhi Leonard.
If that trend continues, they could be in a much different situation by the trade deadline.
That would align with the Bulls’ plans and could open the door for this deal to get done at that time. The Bulls are heavy on guards and light on the type of players that fill the gaps between stars, particularly those such as the Bulls’ top players who are strong offensively and questionable on the other end.