Houston Rockets news should be coming fast and furious around the NBA with big changes on the horizon for the former title contender.
That now includes Houston trading forward Robert Covington to the conference rival Portland Trail Blazers.
Houston Rockets news: Team trades Robert Covington to the Blazers
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Portland sends veteran forward Trevor Ariza and two first-round picks to Houston in the trade. That includes the first-round pick in this week’s NBA Draft (16th overall) and a protected first rounder in the 2021 draft.
Acquired this past February in a trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves, the 29-year-old Covington is considered one of the better 3-and-D wings in the NBA. He averaged 12.4 points and 6.6 rebounds on 42% shooting from the field between Houston and Minnesota during the 2019-20 season.
Related: If you’re a fan of the Rockets, check out #Rockets rumors, rankings, and news here
On the surface, this might seem like a massive overpay for the Blazers. That’s until we realize they need more defense after relying on the likes of Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum to perform at a high level on that end of the court.
Covington is a career 36% three-point shooter and can guard three different positions. That should not go unnoticed when looking at this trade from a Blazers’ perspective.
Related: If you’re a fan of the Blazers, check out #RipCity rumors, rankings, and news here.
Houston Rockets news: What the Robert Covington trade means
This could very well be an indication that the Rockets have decided to blow the whole thing up. Following the departures of both general manager Daryl Morey and head coach Mike D’Antoni, the team’s two stars in that of Russell Westbrook and James Harden want out of dodge.
Houston is coming off yet another premature playoff exit. Harden seems to think the team’s championship window has closed. He wants to move on to either the Brooklyn Nets or Philadelphia 76ers.
The Rockets deciding to trade Covington is only going to magnify Harden’s stance in this regard. Remember, Houston dealt away Clint Capela and a first-round pick, among other assets, to acquire Covington back in February.
There’s good news for Rockets fans who are looking at a long-term rebuild. Acquiring the 16th pick in this week’s draft and other assets will help the team build up more talent. It became a necessity after what we saw last season.
Stay tuned here for more Houston Rockets news as the NBA offseason progresses.