After Obi Toppin suffered a foot injury that's going to sideline him for multiple months, the Indiana Pacers lost a small-ball center option who can help space the floor. Fortunately for them, Jay Huff has emerged at just the right time and is proving his value as a stretch big on a nightly basis.
Things are looking up for Jay Huff in Indiana
The Pacers acquired Huff from the Memphis Grizzlies in the offseason in hopes that he could help replace Myles Turner. Both players have similar skillsets, so there were reasons to believe that this move could pay immediate dividends.
Unfortunately for Huff, things did not look great for him to begin his Pacers career.
Through his first 14 games of the season, the Virginia alum averaged 5.4 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks while shooting 37.5% from the field and 26.5% from deep. He also looked incredibly slow, which is never going to cut it in Indiana's system.
However, seemingly overnight, Huff has turned things around and now looks like he can be a legitimate asset for the long haul.
In his last 12 games, he has averaged 11.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 3.4 blocks while shooting 46.9% from the field and 37.1% from beyond the arc. Additionally, he has taken the starting center role away from Isaiah Jackson, who is once again a backup center on the Pacers' roster.
Huff's emergence came at a fantastic time for the Pacers, given how bleak their center situation was. They were already struggling to replace Turner, but on top of that, Jackson wasn't elevating his game, and Toppin was on the shelf.
Toppin was never going to be Indiana's full-time starting center. He is way too small to play the position regularly, and his defense isn't strong enough to justify this move. Still, he already played small-ball center even with Myles Turner on the roster, and if there was ever going to be a season to give him this role more, it was going to be this one.
Without the Dayton alum on the court, the Pacers lost a center option who can space the floor. Fortunately for them, Huff has emerged as that guy, and it's working out incredibly well.
Toppin and Huff obviously aren't the same player. One is incredibly athletic, can run to the rim, and help the Pacers push the tempo. The other one is Huff, who is way slower but can protect the rim and shoot lights-out at a high level.
It remains to be seen what Huff's role in Indiana is going to be moving forward. He is playing well right now, but nobody knows how sustainable this is or if he can be trusted when the lights are bright once Tyrese Haliburton returns. Regardless, the Pacers should be incredibly happy with his recent performances as his turnaround couldn't have happened at a better time.