Indiana Pacers fans were already excited about Jay Huff's arrival, but they now have one more reason to be, and it's all thanks to Obi Toppin.
Recently, Toppin spoke about Huff and sang his praises. He complimented the big man and made it clear that he is looking forward to playing alongside him. However, Toppin also notably said that he thinks Huff will be too quick to pick up on things, and that is exactly what Pacers fans need to hear (h/t Dustin Dopirak of The Indy Star).
"All the bigs that we have here are amazing bigs. ... And Jay Huff is really smart and really good at basketball. He comes in and does his work. He's going to pick up on everything really quickly. ... I can't wait for the season," Toppin said.
The Pacers acquired Huff in a trade from the Memphis Grizzlies after Myles Turner joined the Milwaukee Bucks as a free agent. Now that they no longer have the Texas native, the Pacers have some pressing questions regarding their center position to answer next season. Fortunately for them, there are reasons to believe that Huff can be the answer to many of them as he looks to make an immediate impact in Indiana.
Jay Huff may be the Pacers' best starting center option
As it stands, the Pacers are going to run a committee at center. In addition to Huff, they also have Isaiah Jackson, James Wiseman, and Tony Bradley on the roster. All of these big men are intriguing for one reason or another, but Huff is perhaps the best option to be Indiana's next starting center, and it might not even be close.
The most appealing aspect of the Virginia alum's game is that it very closely resembles Turner's. Huff is also a big man who can stretch the floor, protect the rim, and run the length of the court. It remains to be seen if he can do this at a high level in an expanded role, but so far, things look very good with him.
Last season, Huff averaged 6.9 points and 2 rebounds while shooting 40.5% from beyond the arc in 11.7 minutes. It should also be noted that he scored double-digit points in all seven games he logged 20 or more minutes.
If the Pacers want to transition to the post-Turner era as seamlessly as possible, going with Huff as their main center is a no-brainer. Furthermore, Huff is also in the best position to take on a major role early in the season.
Jackson and Wiseman are both younger and have higher ceilings than the 28-year-old does. However, they are also each fresh off season-ending Achilles injuries, and putting a lot of pressure on them right away could backfire.
The idea of one of them (more likely Jackson) taking over as Indiana's top center is far from a stretch. However, at least early on, the Pacers need to be as cautious as possible with them, and that is where Huff comes in.
Indiana still has a lot of problems it needs to address next year as it looks to stay afloat. However, while his success is not a guarantee, it is safe to assume that Huff will be tasked with making a big impact right away. But, given what fans know about him so far, they have reasons to believe he will be able to do exactly that.