Early in the 2022 NBA offseason, the Miami Heat were dealt a major blow when they lost veteran forward P.J. Tucker to the Philadelphia 76ers.
The Sixers offered Tucker a three-year deal, and he took the offer. Now, the Heat are without the sharpshooting defender.
As a result, one player that the Heat could target to replace him is a player that is quite familiar with what it means to be a member of the Miami franchise. That player is Jae Crowder.
Amidst rumors that the Heat could be interested in acquiring Crowder, the veteran liked a tweet linking him to the team.
Though Crowder and Tucker have different playing styles, there is no doubt that the 32-year-old would be a solid replacement in the lineup.
Last season, he averaged 9.4 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game. He’s not quite as tenacious a defender as Tucker is, but he can still hold his own against the majority of big men in the league.
Tucker averaged 7.6 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game last season with the Heat.
Thus far, the 2022 offseason has been abnormally quiet for the Heat. Though they have been at the center of a number of trade rumors, nothing has materialized yet from any of those rumors.
Landing Crowder would offer a nice bit of excitement for Heat fans, but the move likely wouldn’t be enough to take the team to the next level.
Only time will tell if a trade that accomplishes that goal occurs before this season’s trade deadline comes around.