The Pacers have tried to give Tyrese Haliburton a familiar runway for his return, but one of the biggest pieces of that puzzle is not the starter at center. It’s Jay Huff.
Indiana’s roster has been shaped to stay as steady as possible between the 2024-25 and 2026-27 seasons, with Haliburton set to miss the entire 2025-26 campaign because of an Achilles tear. The goal is clear: when he comes back, he’ll be stepping back into a group he knows, ideally ready to keep building from the run that carried the Pacers to the 2025 NBA Finals.
That’s where the challenge comes in. The biggest loss from Haliburton’s last healthy season may be Myles Turner, and replacing what he brought is no small task. Huff won’t duplicate Turner’s minutes or his overall impact, but he can help preserve the feel of the offense and the defense around Haliburton.
The value is in the overlap. Like Turner, Huff is a strong shot-blocker and a legitimate three-point threat, which means he can fit into the same kinds of pick-and-pop and pick-and-roll actions Haliburton has already spent years running.
That kind of familiarity matters, especially as Haliburton gets used to new starter Ivica Zubac, who is hardly a floor-spacing center. Through 10 NBA seasons, Zubac has attempted 12 total threes-and hasn’t recorded a single one since 2023-24.
Turner’s offensive profile made him such a useful partner for Haliburton because he stretched the floor while still finishing at the rim. In his final season with Indiana, Turner averaged 15.6 points per game on .481/.396/.773 shooting, and 40.0 percent of his made field goals came from beyond the arc.
Another 35.9 percent of his makes were within five feet, with 10.3 percent coming from midrange. In all, 86.2 percent of his baskets were jumpers or rim finishes.
Huff’s numbers point in a similar direction. In 2025-26, 40.9 percent of his conversions were three-pointers and 48.1 percent came within five feet of the basket. He also brings real vertical pop, giving Haliburton a live lob target and a partner for pick-and-roll actions that can look awfully familiar to what the Pacers ran with Turner.
The defensive fit is part of it too. Huff averaged 1.9 blocks per game and 3.2 blocks per 36 minutes, giving Indiana another interior presence who can serve as the last line of defense. That’s Turner-like production in the ways that matter most for keeping the structure intact.
None of that changes the depth chart. Huff is still the backup center and will likely settle in around 20 minutes per game, while Zubac holds the starting job and the position’s main responsibilities. But for a Haliburton trying to find his rhythm in a changed environment, having a teammate with a center skill set he already knows could make the transition a lot smoother.
Indiana has done a strong job of keeping the rest of the rotation intact. Losing Turner, though, means Huff has a chance to provide the kind of continuity Haliburton will need most as he works his way back.
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