For much of the year, the rumor mill has been unusually quiet for the Philadelphia 76ers, save for reports of the team wishing to dodge the luxury tax. As the deadline approaches, however, the Sixers have found their name mentioned more and more. The player most recently connected to Philadelphia? That would be Utah’s young forward, Jarred Vanderbilt.
According to Yahoo! Sports’ Jake Fischer, Vanderbilt has caught the eyes of the Sixers as the team aims to add to their frontcourt depth:
Vanderbilt’s name has also appeared amid the trade deadline conversation surrounding reserve big men, most notably with the Philadelphia 76ers, sources told Yahoo Sports. While teams like the Indiana Pacers have viewed the 6-foot-9 Vanderbilt as an attractive option at power forward, Vanderbilt has been described by league personnel as a leading target in Philadelphia’s quest to fortify its frontcourt reserves behind Joel Embiid.
Vanderbilt is an intriguing potential target. The 23-year-old has averaged 8.3 points and 7.9 rebounds this season for the Jazz, acting as the team’s primary starting power forward this season. That was at least the role he was playing though he has been relegated to a bench role in nine of the team’s previous 11 games.
A strong rebounder, versatile defender, and capable rim protector, Vanderbilt checks many of the boxes the Sixers are shopping for ahead of the NBA’s trade deadline and would likely be within the team’s realistic price range.
Stay tuned for more news as it breaks ahead of Thursday’s deadline.
