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Former First Team All-Defensive Forward is Still an NBA Free Agent

This 11-year NBA veteran has played for the Philadelphia 76ers, LA Clippers, Portland Trail Blazers, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Houston Rockets

Joey Linn

Oct 29, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Clippers forward Robert Covington (23) and forward Kenyon Martin Jr. (6) are introduced before playing against the San Antonio Spurs at Crypto.com Arena.
Oct 29, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Clippers forward Robert Covington (23) and forward Kenyon Martin Jr. (6) are introduced before playing against the San Antonio Spurs at Crypto.com Arena. / Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
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11-year NBA veteran Robert Covington is still a free agent after finishing last season with the Philadelphia 76ers. Acquired by Philadelphia from the LA Clippers at the beginning of last season in the James Harden trade, Covington appeared in just 26 games for the 76ers.

Covington began his career with the Houston Rockets where he was signed as an undrafted free agent. Appearing in just seven games with Houston, Covington was waived before being picked up by the 76ers where he spent four seasons.

Covington made First Team All-Defensive in 2018, which was his final full season in Philadelphia. The 6-foot-7 forward was then traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves where he appeared in 70 games across two seasons.

Traded to the Houston Rockets in 2020, Covington was brought in as part of Daryl Morey's five-out small ball plan around James Harden and Russell Westbrook. Covington started 21 regular season games and 12 postseason games for Houston that season.

It was a short stint for Covington in Houston, as he was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers that offseason where he spent two seasons before being traded to Los Angeles.

Los Angeles Clippers forward Robert Covington
Oct 27, 2023; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Los Angeles Clippers forward Robert Covington (23) reacts to a timeout against the Utah Jazz in the first quarter at Delta Center. / Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports

While he didn't get a lot of playing time with the Clippers, Covington was always solid in his minutes. In 74 games in Los Angeles, Covington averaged 7.2 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1.0 steals, and 0.9 blocks in just 18.3 minutes per game.

Covington also shot 41.5 percent from three with the Clippers, which included a 43-point performance (11 threes) against the Milwaukee Bucks in 2022.

Still just 33 years old, Covington could help an NBA team next season.

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Joey Linn

JOEY LINN

Joey Linn is a credentialed writer covering the NBA for Sports Illustrated's FanNation. Covering the LA Clippers independently in 2018, then for Fansided and 213Hoops from 2019-2021, Joey joined Sports Illustrated's FanNation to cover the Clippers after the 2020-21 season. Graduating from Biola University in 2022 with a Communication Studies degree, Joey served as Biola's play-by-play announcer for their basketball, baseball, softball, and soccer teams during his time in school. Joey's work on Biola's broadcasts, combined with his excellence in the classroom, earned him the Outstanding Communication Studies Student of the year award in 2022. Joey covers the NBA full-time across multiple platforms, primarily serving as a credentialed Clippers beat writer.

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