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Minnesota Timberwolves demanding high price for Robert Covington at trade deadline

By Andrew Ites

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - JANUARY 25: Robert Covington #33 of the Minnesota Timberwolves high-fives teammate against the Oklahoma City Thunder on January 25, 2020 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 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 2020 NBAE (Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - JANUARY 25: Robert Covington #33 of the Minnesota Timberwolves high-fives teammate against the Oklahoma City Thunder on January 25, 2020 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 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 2020 NBAE (Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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The Minnesota Timberwolves are looking to be active before the NBA trade deadline, but they may not get what they want in a Robert Covington deal.

The Minnesota Timberwolves are in the midst of their second 11-game losing streak of the season, which means they are more likely to be in the seller category before the February 6th trade deadline.

One of the Wolves’ most interesting asset to contenders across the NBA is Robert Covington, who is on a good contract and has a skillset that fits the three-and-D mold that the top teams in the league desire.

Minnesota’s front office has been reportedly shopping Robert Covington on the trade market, but according to the New York Times’ Marc Stein, the Wolves are asking for two first round picks in a deal for RoCo.

Stein also mentions that Covington’s two former teams are interested in re-acquiring his services: the Philadelphia 76ers and Houston Rockets.

Philadelphia has a top 20-protected first round pick from Oklahoma City in the 2020 Draft and then all of their first round selections from 2021 on.

Houston has their own first round pick in this year’s draft, but many of their future first round selections have either been sent to the Thunder or OKC has the right to swap as part of the Russell Westbrook trade.

Related Story. What Philadelphia could offer for Robert Covington. light

Getting “two first rounders” from either of these two teams sounds great, but neither team has any picks that are likely to be in the lottery so they aren’t nearly as appealing.

I think getting two late-first round picks is a reasonable price for Covington, but I don’t believe the Wolves need to pull the trigger if that is the best offer on the table.

Marc Stein also touched on the D’Angelo Russell situation in which Minnesota is still the primary suitor:

Wolves fans have been dreaming of a potential D’Angelo Russell acquisition for months now with a new report regarding their interest seemingly every week.

You’d think Minnesota would have traded for him by now if they had offered a generous deal to Golden State, but they must not have made an attractive enough offer to get the Warriors to bite.

There will be plenty of more smoke around this rumor before Thursday’s deadline, but I’ll believe Russell is coming to Minnesota when he’s wearing a Wolves jersey in a press conference next to Gersson Rosas and Ryan Saunders.

Next. Timberwolves: 5 best trades of the decade. dark

It seems like the Wolves are willing to make some sort of move before the upcoming trade deadline, but the intent and the magnitude of that potential move is yet to be determined.