Wizards Made Mistake with Pacers Center

A Missed Opportunity for the Wizards 

This season, Huff has enjoyed an opportunity of a lifetime with the Pacers. Now that Myles Turner is gone, Huff has taken full advantage of his time in Indiana.

He's started at center in recent games, and he’s provided an appealing mix of offense and defense. In a recent win over the Chicago Bulls, he put up 14 points, eight rebounds, and four blocks in 25 minutes.

Overall, his ability as a rim protector and floor spacer has become an asset for Indiana. His best skills are his three-point shooting and shot-blocking, which make him valuable in the NBA, especially for a team looking to add depth or even compete for a championship. Huff is proving that there was real, usable upside there, and he’s now reaping the rewards with his time with the Pacers.

The Wizards have ignored the needs of their roster over the years. Some of the decisions made have led many people to doubt this team and even to lose faith in them. We can go back to this past summer when they decided to draft Tre Johnson. While he has played well with them and looks very promising, the Wizards still need size! Huff could have provided that need for them.

The Wizards have often struggled defensively inside and have lacked a dependable frontcourt shooter. Huff’s combination of rim protection and shooting would have addressed both problems simultaneously. Bringing Huff back would have worked in the Wizards favor as he isn’t a player that demanded a lot of money at the time. That may have changed now after the season he is having. 

Huff is doing many things that people aren’t noticing or even appreciating right now. In this era of basketball, we still have many premier defenders despite everyone being primarily focused on scoring. Victor Wembanyama may be the NBA’s best shot blocker. At 7’6, there is no question why he is. However, Huff is the one leading the league in blocks. Watching Huff play as well as he has may sting a bit for the Wizards. Alex Sarr is the team’s best player and only reliable big man. Huff could have served as a stabilizing veteran presence, offering a reliable rest spot or insurance if injuries came. The Wizards’ decision not to re-sign or even aggressively develop Jay Huff now looks like a missed opportunity for the team.