COVINGTON FOR ARIZA
The Portland Trail Blazers acquired forward Robert Covington from the Houston Rockets for forward Trevor Ariza, forward/center Isaiah Stewart and a protected first-round draft pick in 2021.
What does it give the Portland Trail Blazers
The Trail Blazers appear to be upgrading the small forward position here by swapping Ariza for Covington. The former lasted only 21 games in Portland before opting out of the NBA bubble playoffs this past summer. Covington is similar as an athlete to Ariza but is arguably a better long-distance shooter (and overall scorer). He looks like an ideal fit for a Portland team with magnificent guard play, but with a crying need at small forward.
What does it give the Houston Rockets
Ariza did not stay very long in Houston, as he was immediately shipped to Detroit along with Stewart (the 16th overall selection in this year's draft) in a separate deal for more futures. With both James Harden and Russell Westbrook rumored to be interested in moving on from Houston, the Rockets have huge decisions to make. That said, collecting future first-round draft picks is never a bad thing, especially in uncertain times.
Fantasy impact
Covington is used to playing with dominant guards, so he should be a good fit in Portland. His value remains as an average fantasy forward, however.
