For title-chasing NBA teams, it's hard not to take notice of Robert Covington, who has been described as a solid impact player. He scores in double figures and contributes consistently in other aspects of the game. It's no surprise rival clubs want to lure him out of Minnesota, and one major suitor is reportedly Houston.
But that may not be the case now. As the February 6 trading deals deadline approaches, it seemed that the Rockets had a change of heart. The team has stepped back from the pack of active bidders for Covington's services.
According to Bleacher Report, the Rockets are likely to pass up on the opportunity to hire Covington, who the Timberwolves had acquired from the Sixers last summer. Houston is said to be opting to keep the status quo of the team, meaning there will be no immediate changes to come.
Houston GM Daryl Morey has supposedly declared that the Rockets will still aim to win the NBA title, but they will work with what they have. Now with James Harden and Russell Westbrook, two former MVPs, on his team's roster, it's understandable where Morey's confidence is standing.
"I think we have the players that can do it. We just gotta get it there. I mean, our first focus is always [to] win with what we got," the Rockets GM was reported as saying.
True enough, the Houston lineup has delivered 26 wins so far as the tandem of Harden and Westbrook got sufficient contributions from big man Clint Capela, who complements the Rockets superstars' production with his 18 points per game.
Still, Covington's over 12 points per game for the Timberwolves in the season, and his overall performance will be hard to ignore. This is true not only for Houston but also for other teams impressed by a player whose ability to spread open the floor is hard to quantify.
The swingman said the interest and even disinterest in him by other teams don't bother at all. That's because he doesn't pay mind on things categorized as rumors even if they involve him possibly moving to a new club.
"My main focus is this team and what I do every day. I'm not going to get caught up in rumors or hype or whatnot. I'm a Minnesota Timberwolf. That's all my focus is," Clutch Points reported the small forward as saying.
Clearly, Covington is quite happy where he is now and why not as the equally pleased Timberwolves are willing to pay him an average of $12 million over the next three years.
