Jay Huff has started 28 of the first 51 games of his Indiana Pacers career. But while he certainly had some solid moments, there were concerns about him potentially being their full-time starting center moving forward.
However, after acquiring Ivica Zubac from the Los Angeles Clippers (and moving on from Isaiah Jackson in the deal) on Thursday, it has become clear that the Pacers want to keep Huff around, though his days as a starter in Indiana seem to be done.
Jay Huff can be a fantastic backup for the Pacers
The Pacers acquired Huff from the Memphis Grizzlies in the offseason to help replace Myles Turner, who joined the Milwaukee Bucks. And for the most part, he's done a good job of doing that.
At his best, Huff is a legitimate floor-spacer who can protect the rim at an elite level. He led the NBA in blocks per game for a good chunk of the season, and he has gradually improved as an overall team defender during his first season in Indiana.
The Virginia alum is a real asset and provides a ton of value on the court when he's on. However, one of his biggest problems is his inconsistency, which isn't going to work out once the Pacers are ready to contend next season.
Huff is not someone who is going to elevate his game against the best centers in the league, especially in the playoffs. Furthermore, he is too slow to ever truly be a good fit in Indiana's fast-paced system.
This year, Huff is averaging 8.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.9 blocks, and 1.3 assists while shooting 46.9% from the field and 32.3% from deep. These numbers are fine, but they're not starting-caliber. And that's exactly what the Pacers thought as well.
By trading for Zubac, Indiana now has a big man who is an elite paint presence on both sides of the ball. He is an incredibly efficient scorer (he is shooting 61.3% from the field this season) and is more than capable of being the Pacers' new defensive anchor (he finished sixth in Defensive Player of the Year voting in 2024-25).
Still, while Zubac is pretty clearly a big upgrade over Huff, that doesn't mean the North Carolina native won't have a big role in Indiana moving forward.
Depth has been very important to the Pacers' success over the past few years, and that's not going to change anytime soon. Having Huff, who could be incredible in a reduced role as a stretch big and rim protector, on the second unit will provide a huge boost to the team on both sides of the ball.
Pacers fans should be excited to see what Huff has in store moving forward, even if it's going to be in a much, much smaller role.