Fansided

NBA Trade Deadline 2020: 5 teams who should be chasing Robert Covington

By Bryan Toporek

DALLAS, TX - DECEMBER 4: Luka Doncic #77 of the Dallas Mavericks hugs Robert Covington #33 of the Minnesota Timberwolves after the game on December 04, 2019 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)
DALLAS, TX - DECEMBER 4: Luka Doncic #77 of the Dallas Mavericks hugs Robert Covington #33 of the Minnesota Timberwolves after the game on December 04, 2019 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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LOS ANGELES, CA – DECEMBER 8: Robert Covington #33 of the Minnesota Timberwolves and Anthony Davis #3 of the Los Angeles Lakers greet each other on court after the game on December 8, 2019 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA – DECEMBER 8: Robert Covington #33 of the Minnesota Timberwolves and Anthony Davis #3 of the Los Angeles Lakers greet each other on court after the game on December 8, 2019 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) /

5. Los Angeles Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers cashed in almost all of their chips this offseason when they acquired All-Star big man Anthony Davis from the New Orleans Pelicans. Not only did they send Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball and Josh Hart to New Orleans, but they also gave up two future first-round picks and a first-round pick swap in 2023.

Because the Stepien Rule prevents teams from trading first-rounders in back-to-back years and teams can’t trade picks more than seven years in advance, the Lakers can’t offer a first-round pick in any trade ahead of the deadline, per Sean Deveney of Forbes. They also owe their next three second-rounders to the Detroit Pistons, Orlando Magic and Washington Wizards, respectively, which means they’re effectively out of the running if Minnesota wants draft compensation for Covington.

However, the Lakers do have one proven young player to dangle: Kyle Kuzma.

With Davis insisting on largely playing the 4 during the regular season, LeBron James has shifted over to the 3, while JaVale McGee and Dwight Howard are manning the minutes at center. That pushed Kuzma to the bench, where he’s averaging only 12.9 points in 25.0 minutes per game.

According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, the Lakers “value Kuzma as a core part of their future and are focused on making moves around the edges and not a major one.” However, Sam Amick of The Athletic reported in early January that the Lakers had “shown a recent willingness to listen to pitches for Kuzma.”

If the Lakers are willing to trade Kuzma, the T-Wolves could see the 24-year-old as a long-term frontcourt complement to franchise center Karl-Anthony Towns. The tricky part would be finding enough salary-matching fodder to make a deal cap-legal.

The Lakers would have to send out at least $6.4 million in salary in a Covington trade, but Kuzma is earning a shade under $2 million. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope ($8.1 million), JaVale McGee ($4 million) and Rajon Rondo ($2.6 million) all have de facto no-trade clauses, which further complicates matters.

While the Lakers would love to add a wing stopper like Covington in case they run into Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and the Los Angeles Clippers in the playoffs, the cost may be too prohibitive to be realistic.

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