The Los Angeles Lakers barely gave Jay Huff a chance. During his short tenure repping the purple and gold, Huff only played four games, a handful of minutes, and then he was gone.
Now, as he starts to prepare for a bigger role with the Indiana Pacers, it is fair to wonder if Los Angeles let go of a player they would need in a time like this. The Lakers' most significant missing piece on their roster is a true stretch five.
Jay Huff could be the Lakers' biggest missed opportunity
Huff has always had the tools, and many people were big on him when he first entered the league.
Kevin O’Connor said on The Kevin O’Connor Show, “I am fired up for Jay Huff to get a consistent opportunity because I have loved Jay Huff a long time, ever since early last season.”
O’Connor’s excitement is not random; Huff’s skill set is rare, especially for his size.
“There’s just not a lot of 7-foot-1 dudes that have true flamethrower jumpers from three,” he said, pointing out that Huff hit over 40 percent from deep last season on more than three attempts per game, in just 11 minutes a night.
This is not your typical big man who stands in the corner waiting for a kick-out. O’Connor added that Huff “can shoot off movement, shoot in motion, shoot off a dead sprint, stop and go in transition.” In other words, he has the ability to move like a guard and shoot like one, too.
For the Lakers, that kind of weapon would have been gold. They have been searching for a big man who can actually space the floor, someone to open driving lanes for LeBron James and Luka Doncic while still protecting the rim.
Instead, their frontcourt consists of Jaxson Hayes, whom they recently re-signed and is considered nothing more than a lob threat on offence. They also brought in Deandre Ayton from the buyout market, but he can’t shoot threes consistently.
They do have a good option in Maxi Kleber. The problem with him is he has his fair share of issues struggling to stay healthy.
For Huff in Indiana, he will get that opportunity he did not get as a member of the Lakers. The Pacers brought him in after losing Myles Turner, and in a system built around playmaking and pace, Huff’s shooting could shine.
At the end of the day, it is one thing to lose a player because he did not fit. It is another to lose one you never bothered to find out about. If Huff starts splashing threes and spreading the floor for the Pacers, it will not take long for the Lakers front office to begin kicking themselves.