Heading into next season, the general consensus is that Isaiah Jackson will be the Indiana Pacers' next starting center following Myles Turner's departure. However, Jay Huff has a great case as well, both because his playstyle resembles his the closest, and Jackson is fresh off an Achilles injury.
In a stunning move, Turner left the Pacers after a decade and signed with the Milwaukee Bucks as a free agent this summer. With him no longer in the picture, Indiana is now tasked with having to replace their long-time big man. As it stands, it seems that the Pacers will run a committee at center rather than commit to a one-for-one replacement. This could work, but it is still far from ideal.
Eventually, the Pacers are going to want an established starting center as they look to re-establish themselves as legitimate title contenders. Whether Huff can be that guy or not remains to be seen. However, there are plenty of reasons to like what he brings to the table, and he may ultimately be the best option for the Pacers.
Jay Huff brings a lot of value to the Pacers
One of the most intriguing parts of Huff's arrival in Indiana is how closely his game resembles Turner's. While it remains to be seen if he can do it at the same level as Turner, the North Carolina native is also a big man who can stretch the floor, protect the rim, and run the court. Additionally, at just 27 years old, he is a little younger than the Texas native as well.
There were pros and cons to Indiana possibly re-signing Turner. He wasn't a perfect center (which was clear during the NBA Finals), and signing him to a new deal would have pushed the team into the luxury tax. However, Turner was still a great fit for the Pacers, and it was always going to be difficult to replace him. It is too soon to definitively say he can do it himself, but there are reasons to believe Huff may be exactly what the Pacers are looking for post-Turner.
Additionally, there seems to be a lot of talk about Jackson being the Pacers' next center, and that makes sense. He has been with the team the longest, he has gradually improved each year of his career, and he has a unique skillset. However, he is also coming off an Achilles injury. Not only is it unclear exactly how the Michigan native will be able to play after this injury, but he also has yet to play an expanded role full-time. Jackson has a lot of potential, and it is a good thing they signed him to a new deal, but it does not seem like the best idea to put as much trust in him as it seems like the team might be planning to.
The Pacers will have a lot of opportunities to experiment with their roster next year, and it is crucial that they find a solution to their center problems. They may have already done that, but only time will tell. Until then, Huff is a player to keep an eye on the rest of the way as he will have an opportunity to prove that he deserves to be the Pacers' next big man.