It’s a shame that one of the best success stories of “The Process” doesn’t even get to be a part of the 76ers getting swept in the ECF by the Bucks this year before injuries and inner conflict tear the team apart leaving them with no choice but to start over again. Just a real shame. Robert Covington was one of the innumerable randoms picked off the scrap heap by Sam Hinkie, and he turned out the best. Which meant, of course, that when the time came, he had to be traded for a “real” star named Jimmy Butler.
Nevermind that Covington’s understated game is pretty much perfect for the modern NBA and Butler bolted after half a season. God damn it.
It’s not too late for the 76ers to reacquire Covington. The trade deadline is several months away, and they have some intriguing pieces that the Timberwolves might be interested in. Tobias Harris seems kinda redundant on that team, for example. Josh Richardson and some picks? Al Horford? I bet you could pair Horford with Karl-Anthony Towns and have it work. These are just examples, I bet a lot of things could work, but I just want to see Covington on the 76ers for another half-season before everything implodes for them and Ben Simmons goes back to Australia.
This is all assuming that his defensive advanced stats are still really, really, really, ridiculously good looking.