Robert Covington Learned of Trade from 76ers to Timberwolves on Social Media
Robert Covington was a Philly favorite during his time as a Sixer, a crown jewel of The Process era, unearthed from undrafted anonymity and developed into a two-way contributor.
That same Covington learned he was being shipped to Minnesota via social media.
"I found out on social media," Covington said, per Sarah Todd of the Philadelphia Inquirer. "It was like five minutes before the team meeting, then Brett [Brown, the Sixers' coach] called me and EB [general manager Elton Brand] called me, but I already knew. By then it was already out there. That's how I found out."
The Sixers traded Covington and Dario Saric, another Process darling, to the Timberwolves for Jimmy Butler in November. The move was seen as a full-stop conclusion of the Process, having birthed a Big Three of Butler, Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons.
"It was really clear-cut and dry," Covington said of his phone call with coach Brett Brown. "As far as having that respect level, and for how much we'd been through, I would have thought it had to be completely different, but it wasn't. Considering how much time relationship-wise and everything that went down...It was weird."
76ers GM Elton Brand and Covington did not have a typical manager-player relationship. Their lockers were next to one another when Brand was still playing with the Sixers. Brand has since rapidly moved up the organizational hierarchy, being named the general manager after the team let Bryan Colangelo go following a burner Twitter account scandal.
Brand admitted his relationship with players has changed since he moved to the front office.
"It probably was cold," Brand said. "I would talk to those guys about anything and everything...and now we don't talk anymore. With my new role and my new job, it's tough to make those decisions. The relationship is real, but it's tough because it becomes transactional. I can see how he would think it was cold, for sure."
The Sixers host the Timberwolves on Jan. 15. It will be Covington's first time back in Philadelphia since the trade, but he is not expected to play. He is currently dealing with a bone bruise in his right knee.
