After Thunder championship, Pacers fans leave Game 7 watch party
Pacers fans left Gainbridge Fieldhouse on a somber note after a Game 7 loss to the OKC Thunder on Sunday, June 22, 2025.
The Indiana Pacers began filling a gaping hole left by decade-long center Myles Turner with a trade Saturday.
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.
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.
Relive the Pacers playoff run with our commemorative book!
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.
Get IndyStar’s Pacers coverage sent directly to your inbox with our Pacers Update newsletter.
