<\/p>\n
Jarred Vanderbilt<\/a> of the Utah Jazz is exactly the kind of teammate NBA players love. He\u2019s a ferocious rebounder, fearless defender, insanely athletic<\/a>, and a surprisingly decent playmaker.<\/p>\n He\u2019s the kind of player that dives for a loose ball, causes havoc on defense, crashes the offensive boards, and hustles in ways that don\u2019t show up on the stat sheet. He brings heart to the Jazz, similar to players like Bobby Portis, PJ Tucker, and maybe one day Draymond Green. He\u2019s also a raw talent who often plays out of control, overdoes it with fouls, and hasn\u2019t cemented his jump shot yet. Still, he\u2019s only 23. If this is his floor, his ceiling could be scary.<\/p>\n On the season, Vanderbilt is averaging a hair above 8 points, 8 boards, and 3 dimes a game, but on December 13th, Vanderbilt flashed his potential, dropping 18 points, 14 boards, 6 dimes, a steal, and a block. However, his offensive limitations flared thereafter as Vanderbilt failed to hit a single shot in the following two games.<\/p>\n Regardless, Vanderbilt has Jerome Williams-Esque qualities, a former Knicks fan favorite nicknamed the Junkyard Dog for his vicious play style. Vanderbilt, a pitbull in his own right, always finds ways to impact games with his hustle. Fans and fantasy managers aren\u2019t the only ones who have noticed Vanderbilt\u2019s potential; superstar Damian Lillard has too.<\/p>\n When asked in a recent interview who he\u2019d be most interested in teaming with<\/a>, Dame said Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, and Jarred Vanderbilt. \u201cJarred Vanderbilt does everything. \u201cHe guards every position, he rebounds, he\u2019s a playmaker, he\u2019s tough, competitive, and has a good feel for what\u2019s going on out there.\u201d<\/p>\n On December 4th, after the Blazers defeated the Jazz, Lillard responded to a tweet<\/a> about bringing Vanderbilt to the Blazers before quickly deleting it. Suffice to say, Vanderbilt has made an impression on the future Hall of Famer, and he\u2019s not the only one.<\/p>\n Although Dame\u2019s name-dropping was merely conversational Vanderbilt is certainly the most available player among the three. Although the Jazz got off to a scorching start this season they\u2019ve slipped to 9th place in the Western Conference and you can\u2019t help but wonder if their initial plan to tank will eventually come to fruition.<\/p>\n Walker Kessler has recently emerged as a dynamic, up-and-coming center with his ability to block shots and anchor the defense. Unfortunately, Vanderbilt and Walker playing together prove difficult as neither of them can stretch the floor.\u00a0 Could this make Vanderbilt expendable?\u00a0 Granted, Vanderbilt\u2019s three-point percentage has drastically improved this season<\/a> and that trend could continue.<\/p>\n The Jazz have already made it clear they aren\u2019t trading<\/a> Jordan Clarkson or Lauri Markannen. They have plenty of veteran talent they could flip like Olynyk, Mike Conley, or sharpshooter Malik Beasley. However, Vanderbilt\u2019s versatility has caught the attention of the Suns<\/a> and previously the Heat<\/a>. Not to mention, he\u2019s currently on an inexpensive contract considering his upside.<\/p>\n Ultimately, Vanderbilt\u2019s versatility, heart, and defensive prowess make him a dynamic player with a massive ceiling. It\u2019ll be interesting to see if the Jazz continues to invest in development or if Vanderbilt makes his way to a contender this season.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\nJarred Vanderbilt\u2019s unique game makes him very valuable.<\/h2>\n