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Jay Huff: When Preparation Meets Opportunity
A roaring start to the 2024-25 campaign for Jay Huff in Memphis signals yet another "against the odds" development story in the making.
We’ve seen this movie before - Isaiah Hartenstein, Christian Wood, Gary Payton II - the list goes on.
The G-League alum to serviceable NBA rotation player pipeline is alive and well. As we have discussed previously, the fringes of an NBA roster require greater attention to detail in the current financial landscape. Resting on one's executive laurels brings nothing but missed opportunities and stunted growth.
The Lead-Up
Huff was a four year college prospect at Virginia and went undrafted in 2021. He spent the lion's share of his first three seasons in the G-League, with brief pit stops in Washington, Los Angeles and Denver. Jay saw 164 total minutes of court time in 31 NBA games from 2021-22 to 2023-24. When he wasn't riding the pine in the NBA, he was toiling in the minor league to set himself up for the next opportunity that came knocking.
Jay earned All-G League honors in 2022-23, and was named G-League Defensive Player of the Year. He spent all of 2023-24 on a two-way contract with the Nuggets, but never quite saw any tangible action as a prospective backup 5 for Nikola Jokic. Three months ago he signed a two-way contract with the Grizzlies. Less than 24 hours ago, Huff earned himself his first guaranteed NBA contract with a four-year standard deal.
The Break-Out
Astoundingly, Huff profiles as one of the most highly sought after player archetypes in the league. A mobile 7'1" big who is elite as both a rim protector and a 3-point shooter, especially from above the break. Organizations across the NBA plain would sell their figurative soul for a player who can answer that call on both sides of the ball. Funnily enough, Jay conspicuously went under their nose and wound up on a roster with four incumbent rotation bigs.
Huff's imprint in the early going has been palpable to say the least. With Zach Edey learning the ropes as a backline presence (8.4 fouls per 36 minutes through his first four games) and Jaren Jackson Jr. dealing with a strained hamstring out the gate, Jay has asserted his will on both ends. His early season outburst is a curveball that Taylor Jenkins will need to navigate, but it is a welcome revelation. After all, you can never have enough shooting. Unearthing a competent fifth big is an enviable predicament. Huff’s two-way skillset exponentially enhances Jenkins' lineup versatility. If he continues to let it fly and make his presence felt on the backside defensively, the Grizzlies' may de-emphasize their outsized allegiance to a Zach Edey-Jaren Jackson Jr. frontcourt (which in no way lessens the efficacy of the pairing long term).
Exploring the studio space of lineups featuring both Jay Huff and Jaren Jackson Jr. should be priority number one. A dual presence of first-rate interior defenders who can stretch the defense out to 30 feet on the other end is a luxury that most can only dream of experimenting with. Jay checks every box you could ask for around the trio of Morant, Bane and Jackson Jr. Most importantly, he reads the floor and executes in a timely manner. He is content being parked in the corner while eagerly awaiting a baseline cut of middle penetration, is capable at sealing his man deep for an entry pass down low, can put the ball on the deck in doses, and he is relatively light in the shorts (at least for his size) when running in the open floor.
Keep your eyes peeled when browsing League Pass, as the Grizzlies provide a lethal dose of frontcourt fervor. Huff should be endowed with a fitting fan-mandated (fandated?) nickname in due time. His name lends itself to a slew of possibilities. In the meantime, let's indulge in some highlights:
3-Point Shooting
Interior Scoring
Rim Protection
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Self-anointed hoops pundit who dabbles in writing from time to time.