Pacers trade pick for center to help fill hole left by Myles Turner
The Pacers traded a second-round pick and a second-round pick swap to land stretch center Jay Huff from the Memphis Grizzlies, league sources confirmed to IndyStar. The second round pick is a 2029 selection and was originally the property of the Portland Trailblazers. The Grizzlies and Pacers are also swapping 2031 second-round picks.
Oklahoma City forward Kenrich Williams (34) collides with Memphis center Jay Huff (30) in the fourth quarter during game 1 of the NBA playoff series between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Memphis Grizzlies at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City Sunday, April 20, 2025.
The Pacers are the fifth team in as many seasons for the 7-foot-1, 240-pound Huff.
Huff, who will be 27 by season's start, took a step toward establishing himself as an NBA role player this season. He played 64 games with the Grizzlies, averaging 6.9 points and 2 rebounds in 11.7 minutes per game. He shot 40.5% from 3-point range knocking down 81 of 200 attempts, and shot 51.5% from the floor. Prior to that, the Virginia product played 31 games across three seasons for the Los Angeles Lakers, Washington Wizards and Denver Nuggets, scoring a combined total of 74 points.
Huff averaged 9.3 minutes per game in 34 appearances off the bench as a sophomore for Virginia's 2018-19 national championship team. As a senior in 2020-21, he averaged 13.0 points, 7.1 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game to earn second-team All-ACC honors and first-team ACC All-Defensive team honors.
He gives the Pacers a stopgap at center after Turner signed with the Milwaukee Bucks on a four-year, $107 million deal. A league source told IndyStar's Gregg Doyel that the Pacers offered four years, $95 million. But Turner chose the Central Division rivals, and gave the Pacers a hole to fill.
Huff joins a center rotation that is still taking shape. Tony Bradley had his $2.94 million team option picked up, but he could be moved or waived. Backup Isaiah Jackson received a qualifying offer worth approximately $6.4 million, which made him a restricted free agent. But he's coming off an Achilles tendon tear last year. Thomas Bryant, who the Pacers acquired in a trade with the Heat in December, is an unrestricted free agent.
