The Boston Celtics bring in an ideal 4 in Robert Covington
The Boston Celtics tried to have a traditional power forward in 2020-21, starting Daniel Theis alongside Tristan Thompson in the frontcourt. It was an experiment with subpar results, and both are off the roster now.
The issue with the arrangement was the lack of 3-point shooting from Theis, who was not mobile enough to compete with modern 4s.
Someone who can deliver on those shortcomings and could be attainable is Robert Covington of the Portland Trail Blazers.
Portland acquired Larry Nance Jr. from Cleveland recently, adding a potential frontcourt starter alongside Jusuf Nurkic. Covington has a high salary for a potential reserve, but the Cs could give him the perfect landing spot in a wholly switchable lineup.
A Marcus Smart-Jaylen Brown-Jayson Tatum-Robert Covington-Al Horford quintet could cover positions 1-5 up and down the lineup. With Josh Richardson, Aaron Nesmith, and Romeo Langford all on the bench, the Cs would have unmatched defensive versatility. Even Dennis Schroder and Robert Williams defend well at their specific positions.
A number of things could happen in Portland (wanting to cut costs, shifting to rebuilding) that could make Covington available. If he is gettable, Boston has no excuse not to pursue him.