Timberwolves forward Robert Covington has been diagnosed with a bone bruise and will be out for an extended period, head coach Tom Thibodeau told reporters today, per Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic (Twitter link).
While Thibodeau couldn’t offer a specific timeline for Covington’s potential recovery and return, he added that the Wolves don’t believe surgery will be required, as Krawczynski relays (via Twitter).
The Timberwolves are set to get Jeff Teague back in their lineup, but losing Covington is a tough blow for the team, which had initially experienced a bit of a resurgence after acquiring him and Dario Saric from Philadelphia in November’s Jimmy Butler blockbuster. Minnesota is still just 17-21, 13th in the West and four games out of a playoff spot, and will now be without its best perimeter defender for the next little while, further reducing the club’s chances of earning a postseason spot.
If the Wolves continue to slip further out of the playoff race, it will be interesting to see what they do at next month’s trade deadline. The club has reportedly tried to move Gorgui Dieng, and veterans on expiring contracts like Taj Gibson, Jerryd Bayless, and Anthony Tolliver may also be expendable. Teague, who has a $19MM player option for next season, could be a trade candidate too. None of those players would bring back a substantial return, however.
They need to trade Teague, and maybe Tolliver if they want him, to Orlando and hope to get some kind of pick that they can use to offload Dieng. Start Tyus and keep Rose as 6th man. The west is tough this year (like always). Let these guys gain chemistry. Hopefully go for Ja Morant in the draft.