Versatile Jazz Forward Could Address Void In Struggling Heat Campaign

Jarred Vanderbilt of the Utah Jazz has reportedly captured the interest of the Miami Heat who need someone who can defend multiple positions. Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images

KEY POINTS

The Heat eye Jarred Vanderbilt to fill up the huge void left by PJ Tucker
Miami knows Vanderbilt poses a ton of potential as a young NBA player
The Heat may pull off several trades before the trade deadline

The Miami Heat have not gotten off to a good start in the 2022-23 NBA season, toting a 2-5 win-loss record so far.

The team is undoubtedly struggling and needs to address some holes in the roster.

One of those is the flexibility that PJ Tucker brought to the South Beach squad, sadly something that Miami was unable to address.

Aware of that need, it appears the Heat are now looking at options for the position.

One name that has allegedly captured the fancy of Miami is Jarred Vanderbilt of the Utah Jazz according to a report by Sean Deveney of Heavy Sports.

The 41st pick of the 2018 NBA Draft is averaging 8.4 points, nine rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.7 steals in 24.7 minutes of action in seven games for the Jazz.

His numbers are considerably up following his three-year stint with the Minnesota Timberwolves from 2019 to 2022.

The 23-year-old has been efficiently controlling the boards and scoring whenever necessary.

However, it is the former Kentucky Wildcat's flexibility and ability to defend multiple positions, something that has reportedly captured the attention of the Heat.

"They hoped to get Utah to give up Jarred Vanderbilt—they want defense at that spot," the unnamed executive told Heavy Sports. "They want to see what they have with guys like Caleb Martin, see how he handles that spot."

The loss of Tucker undoubtedly told on the Heat and Vanderbilt appears to be a perfect replacement if Miami can pull off a deal.

At his age, there is no question that the 6-foot-9 forward can still develop his other skills in the coming years.

Aside from his defensive prowess, Vanderbilt has shown improvement in taking shots from beyond the arc.

He is shooing 56.8% from the field and 42.9% from the three-point region, making him a potential option for kick-out plays should the defense of opposing teams clamp down on players like Jimmy Butler or Bam Adebayo.

The NBA trade deadline is on February 9, meaning the Heat can try to formulate a deal to land Vanderbilt.

For now, Miami needs to focus on trying to win their upcoming games with their current cast.

The Heat are set to face the reigning NBA champions Golden State Warriors on Tuesday evening, November 1 at the FTX Arena with the tip-off slated at 7:30 PM ET.