The Indiana Pacers just made a trade for Jay Huff, and even though he’s not a huge name, the Memphis Grizzlies may have just coughed up a sneaky Myles Turner replacement. Huff had a very solid season last season, and while he’s not the flashiest guy in the business, he can get the job done very well for Indiana.
Tyrese Haliburton being out will put a huge damper on the Pacers’ season next year, but adding a quality center to the rotation will be very important now that Turner is gone. If the Pacers develop him well enough, Huff could turn into a perfect guy that very few people expected.
It’s all a matter of how they use him.
What does Jay Huff bring to the table?
Indiana sent out two second-round picks to the Grizzlies in exchange for Huff - the 2029 Portland Trail Blazers second-rounder and a 2031 second-round pick swap.
Huff began last season on a two-way contract with the Grizzlies, but by October 28, he had earned a standard deal, inking a four-year, $10.1 million agreement with the organization.
He appeared in 64 games with the team last year, playing 11.7 minutes per contest. In those appearances, Huff averaged 6.0 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 0.9 blocks while shooting 51.5% from the field and 40.5% from deep on 3.1 three-point attempts per game.
Listed at 7-foot-1, Huff’s three-point shooting is by far his most desirable NBA trait, especially for his position. And considering the Pacers just lost Turner, a great floor-spacing big, Huff is definitely an intriguing addition.
On top of that, Huff is a decent rim protector and knows how to position himself well on that end of the floor to get stops at the cup. And while he’s not the best rebounder, his size is a good throw-in to Indiana’s rotation.
Huff will be 27 years old for all of next season, placing him firmly in the prime of his career as he’s about to get the biggest opportunity of his career.
Obviously, he won’t turn into Turner overnight, and he may never get to that level (it’s probably a likely bet). But finding a guy like Huff, who has solid advanced numbers, elite efficiency, and great hustle by his side, is a perfect swing for the Pacers after losing a guy like Turner.
At the very least, Huff should at least be a serviceable replacement for Turner next season, and if everything goes as well as possible, he could turn into even more than that.
With how affordable Huff’s contract is, and especially considering the dirt-cheap price the Pacers paid the Grizzlies in the trade, Huff is a perfect replacement option for Turner after he signed with the Milwaukee Bucks in free agency.