There has been a lot of talk this season about whether the Indiana Pacers should make a trade for a new starting center ahead of the Feb. 5 deadline, or if they should just wait until the offseason. But given his recent showings, Jay Huff may have put an end to that conversation.
In the month of January, the Virginia alum has averaged 12 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.2 assists, and 1.6 blocks while shooting 64.5% from the field and 42.5% from deep. This includes a career game against the New Orleans Pelicans on Jan. 16, when Huff recorded 29 points on 13-for-17 shooting, nine rebounds, one assist, two steals, and two blocks.
Is Huff truly Indiana's best long-term option at center? Nobody really knows yet. But at the very least, he is making a statement that maybe the Pacers can hold off on getting a new center for now and letting him have his opportunity to prove his worth for the rest of the season.
The Pacers should continue to give Jay Huff his opportunities
Huff has shown a lot of flashes during his first season in Indiana. He led the league in blocks per game for a good portion of the year, and he has constantly shown signs of improvement since a rocky start to his Pacers career. Huff is proving that he can provide real value as a floor spacer and rim protector, which is exactly what they brought him in for.
The real question, though, is whether he can perform at the highest level and elevate his game. Indiana is probably going to be right back in the title hunt once Tyrese Haliburton comes back next season. If they return to the NBA Finals, can the team trust Huff against some of the best centers in the league?
As it stands, the jury is still out on what the North Carolina native's ceiling with the Pacers really is. There is no doubt that he provides value, but the team might be better off acquiring an upgrade (whether it be via a trade this season or an offseason move) and just keeping Huff as a backup.
On the flip side, though, Huff has earned the right to at least have the rest of the season to show what he can do. He leapfrogged Isaiah Jackson in the depth chart and established himself as the best center on the roster. Plus, even when things looked bad (so bad that the Pacers started Micah Potter over him for a couple of games), he persevered and reminded the team just how valuable he can be.
Huff isn't the next coming of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (probably), but he has still exceeded expectations, has gradually improved as the season has gone on, and has done everything the Pacers have asked of him. The team might need to get a new center at some point. But for now, they should just ride the Huff train for as long as possible until they get a more definitive answer in either direction.