Analysis: Blazers replace Trevor Ariza for the Rockets versus Robert Covington

The Trail Blazers I finally did it. Neil Olchi swapped the team’s picks in the next first round for a defensive-oriented striker, making it clear that Portland was now intent on winning. Let’s dig and see if it is Robert Covington Worth a pair of first round.

Robert Covington: Smart, versatile, and tall

Covington is one of those players who always magically appears in the right place at the right time, especially on the defensive side. He perfectly reads opponents and constantly puts himself in a position to disrupt crime. It is no coincidence that Covington took first place in distractions and thirteenth in defensive loose balls that recovered in 2017-18. He is a damn smart player and that translates into making plays.

Covington also showed excellent defensive prowess. He remarkably moved from Scottie Pippen-esque Rover on the Ocean to Timber Wolves, Creeps around the screens and pushes the ball away from the cutouts, into a solid anchor around the edge for Missiles. Despite standing “only” 6 feet 7, RoCo averaged 2.2 blocks per game after joining Houston in February.

Covington’s intelligence and versatility is backed by its 7-foot, 2-foot wingspan and ultra-fast hands. Because of its length and range, Covington is able to play on any front-court position and has faced offensive players from James Harden to me Anthony Davis.

Overall, adding a smart and versatile defense expert to your list Carmelo Anthony Scrolling the cutouts for “defense” last season is like stumbling across Crater Lake in the middle of the desert. And toss Terry StutsDo you tend to maximize the benefits of players with mental skills? Yes, the Rose Garden will be filled with a Covington shirt (once fans are allowed to return).

What can’t he do?

Covington’s attacking image is similar to his defensive profile, but less effective. He knows how to find the right spot at the right time, which translates into 3-point points when a defense breaks down or a reliable break when a path to the edge comes up. But it lacks distinct offensive moves that will automatically generate points when necessary. Alarmingly, Covington’s 3-point accuracy has also decreased from about 36 percent in its run to about 31 percent in Houston.

In defense, Covington is a formidable defender on the ball but very helpful as a defender for the team. The Blazers will welcome any defensive help they can get, so that’s not a deal breaker, but it wouldn’t necessarily be a better idea to present Covington as the Tony Allen-esque isolation defender the team needed. This is especially true when the RoCo slides down to 4 or 5 and has to match a larger player.

What did it cost?

Blazers are sending out Trevor Ariza, Their 2020 first round selection, and 2021 protected first round selection to Rockets for Covington according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

Olshey also used the second round picks to get the Trevor ArizaSo Covington’s final bill is four draft choices, if you believe in the transitive property of NBA deals.

Four selections, including the first in a row, seem a bit sharp for the roleplayer, but given that Dollars It just waived three choices and two trade-offs Jrue holiday It is difficult to file a complaint. Covington’s age (29) and contract status (signed next season, Full Bird Rights) play for the team.

Covington and Ariza’s salaries are nearly identical at $ 12.1 million and $ 12.8 million respectively, so there is little immediate impact on the Blazers’ net earnings. Covington is on contract for next season for $ 13 million.

When will this trade officially take place?

Sean Heiken on Twitter mentioned that ArizaHis contract will not be fully guaranteed until November 20:

Blazers and Rockets must wait until then to officially announce the deal, for salary matching purposes.

Do the blazers have more money to spend?

The Blazers still have the full mid-level exclusion ($ 9.3 million), the semi-annual exclusion ($ 3.6 million), and the Rolling Player Exclusion ($ 7.1 million) for acquiring additional players. They also have full bird rights Good Whiteside.

Their current salary commitment is roughly $ 113.3 million, assuming Hood and Winin Gabriel It is kept, approximately $ 25.6 million less than the tax yard / tax cap. They have four open menu places.

What does this mean for missiles?

Lol it’s not great!

The phrase “Covington to the Blazers” might be equivalent to “Nic Batum” to Hornets“In terms of predicting the final fate of the Houston superstar, James Harden.

Final evaluation

Overall, Covington isn’t the panacea that will solve all of the Blazers’ woes on the ward – really, could anyone other than Giannis do that? – But he will provide solid defense and will be able to go well with any combination of Rodney HoodAnd the Zach CollinsOr, Joseph Norkitch. This fits well.

In the big picture, this is the first time Olshey has sacrificed a first-round pick at a bargain now since takeover. Aaron Avalo In February 2015. Blazers used to work around the edges to bring in cheap veterans, which range in quality from Paw Gasol To Rodney Hood, however, they have hesitated to pull the trigger on any move that would require significant future investments. That changed today and hopefully will be a prelude to additional moves to come later this week to support the bench.