Our player preview series for the 2024 Clippers season continues with under-utilized backup forward Robert Covington.
Basic Information
Height: 6’7”
Weight: 209 pounds
Position: Small Forward/Power Forward
Age: 32
Years in NBA: 10
Key Stats: Averaged 6.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 0.8 steals in 16.2 minutes per game across 48 games on 44.5/39.7/75 shooting splits.
Contract Status: Final year of a two-year, $24 million contract.
Expectations
It’s tough to know what to expect from Robert Covington in this 2024 season, as he was squeezed out of the rotation last year in favor of Marcus Morris Sr. and Nicolas Batum and didn’t play all that much. While Batum is back this season, it’s unclear what Morris’ status with the Clippers is. He was included in the botched deal that would have netted Malcolm Brogdon and there’s been no word as to what the team’s plans are for him.
The Clippers also brought in KJ Martin, who figures to see plenty of time at power forward. Clippers fans were clamoring for Covington to see playing time last season but that never materialized. It just seems like Tyronn Lue trusts other guys over Covington. It’s just hard to pinpoint what to expect considering how last season went. We’ll need to see preseason games before getting a clearer picture of how Covington will be used, but Clippers fans should tame their expectations for Covington to start off.
Strengths
Covington is among the best off-ball defensive players in the NBA. He has some of the quickest hands in the league, disrupting passes and getting his hands on loose balls. He’s a fairly good rebounder for his size as well. His size allows him to play either forward position and he can also play a little five in certain small-ball lineups.
He’s been a pretty solid three-point shooter as well. He’s not going to be creating much offense for himself, but as a spot up guy off the catch, he’s consistent. This past season, he played the second lowest minutes in his career since his rookie year, but still managed to shoot nearly 40 percent from three-point range on decent volume.
Weaknesses
While Covington’s off-ball defense remains effective, he’s never truly been a particularly strong on-ball defender. He also isn’t much of a shot creator either for himself or for his teammates.
Overall though, Covington understands his role and he does his job well. Whatever weaknesses he has should be masked by the rest of the talent around him.
Summary
Covington seemed a likely candidate to be traded at some point during the offseason but nothing ever materialized. Despite inconsistent minutes and lack of a defined role, he’s been one of the best teammates on the roster and has never once outright complained about anything. It’s hard to gauge how much he could help this team seeing as how he wasn’t given much of a chance last season.
He seemingly has a skill-set that could certainly help the Clippers, it’s just up to the coaching staff to find the best way to effectively utilize him. He’s heading into a contract year and will hit unrestricted free agency in the 2024 offseason. Based on his past history, and even in the limited minutes from last year, it’s worth a shot to see how effective he can be in a healthy lineup.