Miami Heat’s Jae Crowder Replacements: P.J. Tucker
Just like Morris, P.J. Tucker will be an unrestricted free agent in 2021. Tucker just finished playing excellent defense on Kevin Durant in the Bucks’ seven game series win over the Nets and could be a great fit for Miami.
2. P.J. Tucker
P.J. is a seasoned vet who can also fill the Crowder role. His defense is most likely better than Crowder’s, while his offense probably is not as good.
Defensively, Tucker is one of the best players in the league. Like I mentioned earlier, he just finished playing great defense on the league’s most skilled scorer.
He can defend guards, wings, and even proved to be capable of handling much taller centers in the Rockets’ small ball experiment. Crowder’s defensive versatility is one of the reasons the Heat missed him so much in 2020-21 and Tucker is just as versatile, if not more.
Offensively, Tucker will not bring what Crowder did. He is a reliable three point shooter for his career, shooting about 36 percent but won’t take nearly the amount of shots Crowder would.
What you get with Tucker is an experienced veteran presence, who can play excellent defense and will give his all on the floor. Locker room wise, Tucker could be an excellent addition to a locker room already full of wise veterans.
He is not as outspoken or as “in your face” as Crowder is, but he is a veteran that younger players will listen to and take advice from. Tucker could be another voice in Bam’s ear, telling him to be less passive and to attack more, which alone, could help the Heat in bunches.
As much as performance matters on the court, intangibles are also an important part of roster building and I believe Tucker has the right ones to make a difference for Miami.