The Sixers have exercised their team option for the 2017/18 season on Robert Covington, the team announced today in a press release. A decision on the option had been due later this month.
[RELATED: NBA Team Option Decisions For 2017/18]
The move is a formality that has little impact on Philadelphia’s offseason plans, since Covington’s salary remains non-guaranteed even after his option has been exercised. According to Basketball Insiders’ data, $53,547 of Covington’s $1,577,230 salary for next season will become guaranteed on August 9, but the rest of his salary won’t be fully guaranteed until January.
Although Covington doesn’t really receive any more security with today’s transaction, there’s little doubt that the Sixers will eventually guarantee his ’17/18 salary. The four-year veteran, who is still on a minimum salary contract, has been a key contributor in Philadelphia’s rotation for the last few years. In 2016/17, he averaged 12.9 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 1.9 SPG, and 2.0 3PT, while playing solid perimeter defense.
Covington will be extension-eligible during the coming season, as he enters the final year of his contract. If he plays out his final year without working out a new deal with the Sixers, the 26-year-old is on track to reach unrestricted free agency in the summer of 2018.
RoCo a valuable piece on a winning team. Keep him around. I’m not a huge fan of his offensive game and handle but worth keeping for his defense
Good now trade him, don’t be the one to overpay this guy.