5. Robert Covington
Covington was bad in the playoffs. His defense wasn’t up to par and he struggled to hit shots, exposing his lack of versatility on the offensive end. That led many to criticize him, and rightfully so. Some of that criticism, however, has gone too far.
One bad playoff series shouldn’t overshadow a much larger body of work. Covington was first team All-Defense last season, and deservedly so. At 6-foot-8, he does a tremendous job of translating his length and instincts into deflections and intercepted passes.
On top of his high steal totals, Covington often takes on the assignment of guarding the opposition’s best player. He normally does so with success, possessing the ability to defend four positions. He can also make the occasional weak-side block.
Simply put, Covington is an elite defender. The Step Back’s Kelly Scaletta argued that Covington, not Embiid, was the Sixers’ best defensive player last season. There is tremendous value in switch-friendly wings who defend at an elite level.
Covington needs to improve as an off-ball cutter, ball-handler and finisher. Some of his best offensive moments last season came off cuts to the rim, it’s just a matter of doing so consistently. With his shooting threat, being able to attack closeouts and finish at the rim would also be a significant boost.
Still, with those shortcomings taken into account, the Sixers would be foolish to part ways with Covington. He’s an elite three-and-D role player on a team-friendly contract for the next four years.