Longtime Pacers Star Gets Real About Early Impressions of Jay Huff

The Pacers traded for Huff in their first big move of the offseason, acquiring him from the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for a second-round pick and a second-round pick swap. Huff is one of a few suitors for the starting center spot after the departure of former Pacers star Myles Turner.

"And Jay Huff is really smart and really good at basketball," Toppin said. "He comes in and does his work. He's going to pick up on everything really quickly."

Huff began his NBA career with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2021-22, playing just four games over the course of the season without scoring a point. He followed that season up with seven games on the Washington Wizards, where he played 13.6 minutes per game — more than twice as many as he got on the Lakers. While with the Wizards, Huff won NBA G League Defensive Player of the Year after posting 4.0 blocks per game.

He spent the following season with the Denver Nuggets, however struggled for playing time behind both Nikola Jokic and DeAndre Jordan while there. Despite this, he featured in 20 NBA games — more than he had in his entire career prior.

He spent the 2024-25 season with the Grizzlies, and featured in a career-high 64 games while starting two. Huff had only played 31 games in his entire NBA career prior to last season.

The 7-foot-1 center shot 51.5 percent from the field, and was a real threat from deep with a 40.4 3-point percentage. In Memphis, Huff averaged 6.9 points, 2.0 rebounds and 0.9 blocks per game on 11.7 minutes per night.

Even Sans Myles Turner, the Pacers Are Spoiled at Center

With Huff, the Pacers are spoiled for options at center with both Isaiah Jackson and James Wiseman due to return from achilles injuries they sustained last season. Without two of their most important players from 2024-25 in Myles Turner and Tyrese Haliburton, the Pacers will once again have an opportunity to show the value of depth in the NBA — and could very well do so with Huff.