NBA Trade Deadline: Grading the four-team trade centered around Clint Capela
Houston Rockets acquire Robert Covington, Jordan Bell and a 2024 second-round pick (from Atlanta, via Golden State)
The Houston Rockets end up being the star of this routine and were the team that seemed the most desperate to make a move. They wanted to move on from Clint Capela, who saw his role on the team slowly begin to deteriorate. And that’s OK and made at least some sense because the Rockets needed a change; one way or another.
They elected that it would be best to swap Capela for a wing, in this case, Robert Covington from the Wolves. Covington is a fine 3-and-d player in today’s game and while he isn’t great with the ball in his hands, he is a plus defender and will fit right in with the Rockets’ offense.
Covington is averaging 13 points and six rebounds on 35 percent shooting from 3-point range. Where it gets complicated is what the Rockets will do at the center position. Early returns are that P.J. Tucker will assume the role of starting center, but that likely can’t be a lasting successful formula.
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Houston will likely try to make another move before the deadline, but they need to hope they didn’t just nuke their season with this rash move.