NBA Philadelphia 76ers

Philadelphia 76ers Wise To Invest Long-Term In Robert Covington

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By @Greg_Sacidor

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The Philadelphia 76ers seem willing to trade almost anyone on their roster. However, when it comes to Robert Covington, this may not necessarily apply.

In November of last year, Covington signed a four-year deal with the 76ers. At the time, it appeared as though Covington would be just another guy GM Sam Hinkie had brought in for a glorified tryout. But two months and some hot shooting from behind the three-point line later, Covington now appears to be a part of the 76ers’ long-term future.

Tuesday evening, RealGM.com reported that the 76ers view Covington as a core member of the franchise going forward.

“A few NBA teams have placed interest in Philadelphia 76ers forward Robert Covington, but the 24-year-old sharpshooter has been made largely unavailable from trade inquiries as a core part of the franchise’s long-term plans, league sources told RealGM.”

After going undrafted in the 2013 NBA Draft, Covington spent most of the 2013-14 season playing for the Houston Rockets NBA D-League affiliate the Rio Grande Vipers. During his brief stint Covington would shine, earning himself numerous honors, including NBA D-League Rookie of the Year and All-NBA D-League First Team. Just days after becoming the first overall selection by the Grand Rapids Drive in this past November’s 2014 NBA D-League Draft, Covington found himself signing on to become a member of the 76ers.

Covington’s career with the 76ers did not get off to a great start. In his first eight games with the team, he did not play more than 17 minutes. However, things began to change after these first eight games, as head coach Brett Brown discovered what Covington could bring to his team. What he could bring to the team was something that they had been missing since the departure of Kyle Korver back in 2007, and that was consistent three-point shooting.

Among all second-year players in the NBA, Covington ranks first in three-pointers per game and fifth in both points and steals. In 31 games for the 76ers this season – which includes 19 starts – Covington is playing an average of 27.2 minutes per game. In those minutes, he is averaging 12. 4 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game.

In just a short period of time, Covington’s hard work has paid off. As a member of a franchise who is willing to trade almost anyone – including the NBA’s reigning Rookie of the Year Michael Carter-Williams – Covington has managed to make himself virtually untradeable. Through his ability to stretch the floor for guards like Carter-Williams and Tony Wroten, Covington has managed to prove his long-term worth to the franchise.

As the famous saying goes, “It doesn’t matter where you come from, it only matters where you are going.” This applies perfectly to Covington. His path to the NBA may have been untraditional, but now that he is here, his future appears nothing but bright. With many teams now reportedly interested in acquiring his services, the 76ers are making the correct decision by holding onto Covington and making him a core member of the franchise going forward.

Greg Sacidor is a Philadelphia 76ers and NBA writer for RantSorts.com. Follow him on Twitter @Greg_Sacidor or add him to your network on Google.

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