Jay Huff has been mostly impressive in his first season with the Indiana Pacers. He's established himself as a legitimate rim protector (he currently leads the NBA in total blocks with 106), and he is a fantastic floor-spacer when he's on.
However, Huff isn't a perfect big man, and there's a reason the Pacers went out and acquired Ivica Zubac from the Los Angeles Clippers to be their next starting center. The Virginia alum is too slow to truly be a good fit in Indiana's system. He is very inconsistent, especially as a perimeter shooter, and he doesn't have a high ceiling.
Huff might not lose many games for the Pacers, but he won't win many for them either. Still, it's obvious he possesses a lot of value and that the team likes having him around. Once Zubac makes his debut for the team and Huff reverts to a full-time backup role, fans are going to realize that, while he's decent now, he should be even better for the team moving forward.
Jay Huff is the perfect backup center for the Pacers
The North Carolina native isn't someone who can be trusted to elevate his game against the best big men in the league, which was one of the reasons the Pacers wanted to acquire an upgrade at center. But if he's just going to be a backup and take on a smaller role, this won't matter much since he'll just come in to do what he does best: block some shots and hit some threes.
Since the turn of the calendar, Huff has shot 35.3% from deep on 4 attempts per game. If he's going to have a long-term role in Indiana, this needs to be his bread and butter. And while he can certainly go through some cold streaks (he shot 29.4% with the Pacers in 2025), it seems like he's trending in the right direction now that he's more comfortable in his role and the system.
There's a lot to like about Huff and what he brings to the table. He checks off a lot of what the Pacers are looking for in a center, and he's doing it on a very team-friendly deal. As it stands, there are reasons to believe he will be a real contributor for years to come. And as a backup, his weaknesses will not be exposed as often.
Huff won't have to defend the opposing team's best center, and he won't have to be a bigger focus in the system on either side of the ball. With Zubac now on the roster, Huff won't be tasked with putting too much on his plate, and he will be able to truly zero in on what makes him special. And that's something that should excite Pacers fans as the team looks to re-enter the title picture.