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ERROR: type should be string, got "https://rocketswire.usatoday.com/2020/02/06/rockets-announce-covington-bell-trade-without-further-expansion/\nRockets announce Covington, Bell trade without further expansion\nThe Houston Rockets on Wednesday night formally announced the acquisitions of forward Robert Covington and big man Jordan Bell from Minnesota, along with a future second-round pick.\nAs part of a complex four-team, 12-player trade, the Rockets are sending centers Clint Capela and Nene to Atlanta, along with guard Gerald Green and their first-round pick in the 2020 NBA Draft to Denver.\nBecause Covington and Bell make several million dollars less in combined salary than Capela, Nene, and Green, there were reports in the hours after the verbal agreement that the Rockets hoped to expand the deal even more, since the NBA’s salary cap rules allow above-the-cap teams to take back 125% of their outgoing salary in a trade.\nReports had indicated that Houston wanted to land both a wing defender (Covington) and a proven big man to help replace Capela’s rebounding and rim protection, and a larger trade could have allowed GM Daryl Morey to absorb a contract from another team to fit that second need.\nAnalysis: Rockets, Morey have window to expand Covington trade\nIn Clint Capela trade, Rockets to acquire Robert Covington\nBut with the 2019-20 trade deadline just hours away at 2 p.m. Central time on Thursday afternoon, the Rockets apparently were unable to make such an expansion work out. They will receive multiple trade exceptions, which could help to facilitate a later acquisition.\nWon't be any additions, changes to the Rockets-Hawks-Wolves-Nuggets deal, source said. They'll stop at 12 players.\n— Jonathan Feigen (@Jonathan_Feigen) February 6, 2020\nThe Rockets have EIGHT trade exceptions (though five of them expire either tomorrow or the next day) pic.twitter.com/QnF0hS9GaR\n— Jeff Siegel (@jgsiegel) February 6, 2020\nThe Rockets could also theoretically turn to the upcoming buyout market, which should get going shortly after the deadline with veterans who aren’t traded, to secure their desired center.\nReport: Rockets eye potential Thompson, Kidd-Gilchrist buyouts\nOne small benefit to the trade not being expanded is that it allowed the NBA to process it more quickly, while also facilitating a faster medical review process for the teams and players involved.\nBased on that, it appears Covington and Bell could be available to play for the Rockets in the team’s next game on Thursday. That possibility seemed very unlikely earlier Wednesday when there was talk of a trade expansion, which could have dragged talks into the next day.\nWith deal done, Robert Covington and Jordan Bell expected to be with Rockets and available to play tomorrow, source said.\nIn the official trade announcement, here’s how the Rockets characterized their acquisition of the 29-year-old Covington:\nFor his career, Covington has appeared in 374 games with 327 starts while averaging 12.8 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.7 steals, and 2.3 3-pointers made in 29.8 minutes per game. He is also shooting 81.2% from the foul line for his career.\nDating back to 2014-15, Covington joins James Harden and Paul George as the only players to have averaged at least 13.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.50 steals, and 2.0 3-pointers made. Over that same span, Covington, Harden and Andre Drummond are the only players with at least 4,500 points, 2,000 rebounds, 500 assists, 600 steals, and 300 blocks.\n𝗢𝗙𝗙𝗜𝗖𝗜𝗔𝗟: The Rockets have acquired forwards Robert Covington & Jordan Bell from Minnesota as part of a four-team trade also involving Atlanta & Denver. Houston will also receive Golden State’s 2024 second round pick from the Hawks.\nDetails: https://t.co/HeTesAj8ou pic.twitter.com/fVgYB4psTg\n— Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) February 6, 2020\nMeanwhile, here’s what the announcement said about the 6-foot-9 Bell, who might fill some of Capela’s minutes inside:\nPer 36 minutes played for his career, the 25-year-old Bell is averaging 11.2 points, 9.2 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.1 steals and 2.3 blocks. In 16 career starts, Bell has averaged 7.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.6 blocks in 22.1 minutes while shooting 62.7% from the floor and 80.0% from the line.\nBell was a member of Golden State’s championship team in 2017-18 and averaged 13.8 minutes played against Cleveland in the NBA Finals while shooting 71.4% from the floor. Per 36 minutes played in 32 career playoff games, Bell has averaged 10.6 points, 8.5 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.3 steals, and 2.1 blocks.\nThe trade deadline arrives at 2 p.m. Central time Thursday, with buyout talks likely to begin around the league shortly thereafter.\nCovington and Bell will then presumably make their Rockets’ debuts in Thursday night’s road game in Los Angeles against the Lakers, which tips off at 9:30 p.m. Central. It will be broadcast nationally on TNT.\nRobert Covington discusses trade to Rockets upon Houston arrival"