Robert Covington isn’t a Sixth Man of the Year candidate — because the Philadelphia 76ers need to start him.
The Philadelphia 76ers‘ rotation is going to look a lot different next season. With Ben Simmons, Markelle Fultz and J.J. Redick joining the fold, three of the five starting spots will be changing hands. Brett Brown’s offense will have new catalysts, while their defensive scheme will change as well.
Philadelphia 76ers
With three of those five spots changing, the Sixers will also need to make some tough decisions as to who they’ll cut from the starting group — Dario Saric or Robert Covington.
Perhaps the only problem with that train of thought, however, is the fact that the decision isn’t all that tough. Robert Covington is the irrefutable best candidate for the fifth starting spot, and Saric — albeit talented — doesn’t make much sense if the titles are reversed.
In terms of raw talent, there’s a very real argument in Saric’s favor. He’s a better playmaker than Covington, while his rebounding is on a similar, if not higher, level. But Covington’s game fits what the Sixers need in the starting lineup, while giving them a number of advantages that they simply don’t get with Saric.
The foremost benefit with Covington starts on the defensive end. Whether it’s getting back in transition or taking on the opposition’s best player in isolation, the former undrafted free agent has proven supremely effective on that side of the ball.
His quick hands placed him towards the top of the league in steals per game (and at the top in deflections per game). He paired that with a blocked shot per contest as well, which led the Sixers once Embiid was factored out of the equation. Even in the midst of a quiet season on a Philadelphia team that fell well out of competition by the end of the season, Covington finished fourth in Defensive Player of the Year voting — a testament to just how effective he was.
In a league that hinges on versatility and high-octane offenses, winning teams need defenders who can hang. Covington can aptly guard one through four, while giving the Sixers somebody capable of covering the opposing team’s best player on a nightly basis.
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He helps cover up J.J. Redick’s deficiencies at the two, while also affording them more flexibility with how they utilize Fultz (and his 6-foot-10 wingspan) on the defensive end.
With Fultz, Simmons and Covington running the floor alongside Embiid, Brett Brown’s squad would have a lot of freedom to switch off of screens and maneuver the defense around depending on certain matchups. Embiid tops it off with an all-encompassing anchor at the five — who single-handedly lowers the opposing team’s proficiency within 15 feet of the rim.
Saric is a defensive liability, something the Sixers could mitigate, but a weakness nonetheless. He’s also a worse shooter than Covington for the time being, with a flat shot that’s bound to lead to inconsistency until he can address that hitch.
Even in a down year, Covington shot a higher percentage from deep (33.3) than Saric (31.1). An elite defender who can space the floor feels like the obvious choice.
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Covington is en route towards a big contract extension this offseason, one that will ideally cement him in the Sixers’ rotation for the foreseeable future. He’s one of the staples of The Process, and somebody whose skill set has proven relevance for a team that focuses on the defensive end above all else.