Robert Covington, PJ Tucker Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images
Robert Covington and P.J. Tucker might be on their way out of Houston.
As lethal as Giannis Antetokounmpo has been over the last few years, the Milwaukee Bucks have now failed in consecutive seasons to make the NBA Finals. Apparently fed up with the lack of postseason success, Milwaukee is looking to add two of the best defensive wings in the game in P.J. Tucker and Robert Covington, who could be traded amidst all the uncertainty surrounding the Houston Rockets.
Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer is reporting that the Bucks are trying to acquire Tucker and Covington in a trade. This comes amid a desire to also part ways with point guard Eric Bledsoe.
Robert Covington and P.J. Tucker are both elite defensive forwards
While Covington originally broke into the league with the “Trust the Process” 76ers, Covington started to become one of the league’s better “3 and D” wings after he was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the same deal that sent Jimmy Butler the other way. After being traded to Houston in the middle of the season, Covington averaged 11.6 points and 8.0 rebounds per game.
Tucker, who was frequently asked to play the role of center in Mike D’Antoni’s ultra-small lineup, averaged 6.9 points and 6.6 rebounds per game last year. he would b the riskier of the two additions for Milwaukee, both because of his inferior production and the fact he turned 35 in May.
The Bucks have enough offensive skill and creativity to be a force in the East, but their defense let them down last year. With Giannis, Tucker, and Covington all sharing the floor for heavy minutes, going into the paint could be an absolute chore for opposing teams provided Milwaukee is willing to get aggressive and add some complementary pieces for Giannis.