A lot of people are excited to see what Jay Huff can do in his first season with the Indiana Pacers, and that includes Kevin O'Connor of Yahoo! Sports.
In a recent episode of "The Kevin O'Connor Show," he spoke very highly of Huff and his skillset. Additionally, O'Connor specifically said that he likes his fit in Indiana because of how much of a threat he is from beyond the arc, and given how the offense runs, this could be the perfect situation for the Virginia alum as he looks to make an immediate impact with the team.
"I am fired up for Jay Huff to get [a] consistent opportunity. I have loved Jay Huff a long time, ever since, really, early last season with Memphis. I felt like he should have been more of a fixture in their rotation. He was getting up-and-down minutes. I'd imagine we're going to see [a] more consistent opportunity for him with Indiana, because there's just not a lot of 7-foot-1 dudes that have true flamethrower jumpers from three," O'Connor said.
"He shot over 40% from three last year on over three attempts per game in only 11 minutes per game. He gets up a lot of shots from three, and it's not just standstill, spot up, or pick and pop. He can shoot off of movement, shoot in motion, shoot off of a dead sprint stop-and-go in transition. He's super versatile from three as a 7-foot-1 guy."
The Pacers acquired Huff from the Memphis Grizzlies in the offseason after Myles Turner shockingly signed with the Milwaukee Bucks. While he was essentially brought in to just help the Pacers fill the void left by their former long-time big man, there are still reasons to believe that Huff can become a serious contributor now and for the long run.
Next season will be all about experimenting with their roster for Indiana given Turner's departure and Tyrese Haliburton's Achilles injury. Because of this, there will be plenty of players to keep an eye on all season long, and Huff will certainly be near the top of that list as he could be in line for a career year.
Jay Huff may prove to be the Pacers' perfect Myles Turner replacement
The most appealing part of Huff's presence in Indiana is his skillset. He can stretch the floor, protect the rim, and run the length of a court. This is very similar to Turner's skillset, and that is exactly why he was a fantastic fit with the Pacers.
Huff has played in just 95 combined games over the past four seasons, and he logged 20 or more minutes just seven times last season. Because of this, it remains to be seen exactly how his game translates with an expanded role and whether he is a viable option to replace Turner. As it stands, though, there are reasons to be excited about his potential.
Last season, Huff shot 40.5% from beyond the arc on 3.1 attempts per game. He is an incredibly efficient three-point shooter, and since it is fair to assume he will have more volume with a bigger role next season, this could be the key to a potential breakout.
As it stands, the Pacers' starting center for next season is still undecided. There are reasons to believe it will ultimately be Isaiah Jackson, but Huff might be the better option. At least right away.
The North Carolina native is the closest thing to a one-for-one Turner replacement Indiana has. If the team wants a smooth center transition, Huff is their guy to start immediately. This is especially true considering that Jackson is coming off an Achilles injury, and it remains to be seen how he will perform upon his return.
Huff is only 27 years old and fits the Pacers' timeline. If he can cement his role with the team next season, he will be in a good position to establish himself as a long-time contributor. Given that Indiana is looking to remain competitive and re-enter the title picture, this could be the perfect opportunity for Huff to make an impact and help the team accomplish this goal.