Utah Jazz: Ranking Jordan Clarkson among Sixth Man of the Year candidates

Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson vs Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro

Critical thinking dictates that we don’t overreact to developments this early in the season. Having said that, if Tyler Herro can continue the torrid pace he’s been on to start the 2021-22 NBA season, nobody on the Utah Jazz or otherwise will even sniff the Sixth Man of the Year award.

Through the Heat’s first two games, Herro is averaging 28.5 points and 7.0 rebounds per game. Between the basic counting stats and his 23.5 Player Efficiency Rating (PER) and 6.7 Box Plus/Minus (BPM), Herro is resembling something closer to an MVP candidate than a Sixth Man of the Year recipient.

Again, two games is a miniscule sample size. Having said that, Herro did flash superstar potential during the Miami Heat’s NBA Finals run from two seasons ago. He has the shot creation ball handling abilities that befit a primary offensive option in the NBA.

Looking at his averages through two games, it’s almost difficult to believe that Herro didn’t start either of his first two games. If he continues to play at this level, Head Coach Eric Spoelstra may be forced to insert Herro into the Heat’s starting lineup.

Then again, he may not. Duncan Robinson may not be as generally gifted as Herro, but his low-usage floor spacing may be a better fit in the starting lineup for a Miami Heat team that features plenty of playmaking in Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo and Kyle Lowry. Herro’s wealth of offensive skill seems likely to be better served on the second unit throughout the 2021-22 season.

As it stands, he’s the NBA’s leading candidate for the Sixth Man of the Year award, and it isn’t particularly close.

We may have criticized Jordan Clarkson’s Sixth Man of the Year campaign in the past, but he was still a deserving recipient of the award. However, Tyler Herro’s production will have to drop-off substantially for him not to win the award in 2021-22.