3 possible trades involving Sixers’ 28th pick: Robert Covington
The Blazers are in a tricky spot, working on borrowed time to build a contender around Damian Lillard before he asks out. Portland will have to balance that potentially fruitless effort with the demands of the future. If the Blazers do not expect to have Covington around after 2021-22, then the Sixers should jump at the opportunity to acquire him.
This hypothetical may not even be enough for Covington, who has $12.9 million in expiring money on his contract. Health is a factor, but Covington is one of the NBA’s most dominant off-ball defenders. Last season, he was one of three players to register over 70 blocks and 70 steals. His talent for disruption is what once earned him a key role in Philadelphia, to the point where he was the cornerstone of a Jimmy Butler trade.
Covington probably wouldn’t start this time around, but would instead play a wide-ranging role in the second unit. He could serve as a small-ball five of sorts behind Embiid — especially if Simmons sticks around. He can also spend time at either forward spot, with deep range on his 3-point shot. To combine his defense with Matisse Thybulle in the second unit, on top of Embiid and possibly Simmons in the starting five, would make Philadelphia a very hard team to score on.
Like Chicago, Portland does not have a first-round pick this year. Paul Reed feels like a throw-in, but he’s the reigning G-League MVP and very clearly an NBA talent. His upside as a rim-running, spot-up shooting oddball forward could compensate for the loss of Covington. The Blazers only make this trade, of course, if post-Dame contingencies feel necessary. Young talent will not convince Dame to stick around, even if he’s a big George Hill fan.