“Another Laker legend on the move” – NBA fans react to Pacers stealing 7-foot-1 rim protector from Grizzlies as Myles Turner’s replacement

The LA Lakers have remained mostly low-key during free agency, with their only major moves being the addition of Deandre Ayton and the re-signing of Jaxson Hayes. But it’s their former players grabbing headlines — the latest being Jay Huff, who was reportedly dealt from the Memphis Grizzlies to the Indiana Pacers.

According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the Grizzlies sent Huff to the Pacers in exchange for a second-round pick and a second-round pick swap, filling the gap left by Myles Turner’s move to the Milwaukee Bucks.

Fans were quick to react to the trade, including one diehard Lakers supporter who was thrilled to see a former Purple and Gold player join the Pacers. Huff’s time with the Lakers was largely forgettable — he appeared in just four games during the 2021–22 season, logging 5.0 minutes per outing and failing to score a single point.

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“Another Laker Legend on the move 😂 😂 😂 😂 😂 😂 😂 (Scotty) Pippen Jr next?” one said.

“Common Pacers W,” another Lakers fan said.

Here’s a look at how others responded to the Pacers’ move for Jay Huff.

Hoop Muse

@HoopMuse

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7’1 center who averaged 40.5 3P% last season on 3.1 3PA

CELTICS ☘️ BANNER 19

@BiggLynch

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That’s a great trade for Indy…. They got a steal! Huff is a hell of a player

The Ghost of Geert

@TheGhostOfGeert

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Huff is better than most people think. He’s good for that value.

BucksRealm

@BucksRealm

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Myles Turner into Jake Huff Indiana stand up!!!!

Can Jay Huff replace Myles Turner?

Jay Huff brings a similar skill set to Turner’s. Standing at 7-foot-1, he’s a 40.5% career shooter from 3 and averaged nearly a block per game last season for Memphis in just 11.7 minutes per contest.

On a per-36-minute basis, Huff's numbers are impressive: 21.1 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.7 blocks. By comparison, Myles Turner put up 15.6 points, 6.5 rebounds and 2.0 blocks in 30.2 minutes per game last season while shooting 39.6% from beyond the arc.

Turner’s exit came as a surprise, as he had been Indiana’s longest-tenured player. The Bucks opened up cap space by waiving and stretching Damian Lillard’s remaining two years and $113 million to sign Turner to a four-year, $107 million deal.

Indiana’s current center rotation also features Isaiah Jackson and Tony Bradley. The Pacers had been linked to 2018 No. 1 pick Deandre Ayton who agreed to a buyout with the Portland Trail Blazers, but he ultimately chose to join the LA Lakers.

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About the author

John Ezekiel Hirro

John Ezekiel Hirro is an experienced NBA and WNBA journalist at Sportskeeda, with over five years in the field as a news correspondent, sports writer, and Editor-in-Chief. His sports writing career began in high school, where he garnered numerous accolades, including being named the national sports writing champion in 2016.

He earned his journalism degree from the University of Santo Tomas in the Philippines in 2024 and served as the Editor-in-Chief of The Varsitarian, the university's official student publication, for four years—the longest in history.

A passionate basketball enthusiast, he became a fan of the OKC Thunder during the Russ-KD-Harden era. Russell Westbrook, his all-time favorite athlete, impressed him by stepping up as MVP after Kevin Durant's departure. His current favorite players include Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren, who he believes are the future of the OKC franchise.

He excels in game analysis and rapid news story turnaround, drawing inspiration from the journalistic styles of Woj and Shams. He emphasizes thorough research to ensure accuracy in his articles. One of his most memorable moments is Russell Westbrook breaking Oscar Robertson's record with his 42nd triple-double and securing a 106-105 victory over the Denver Nuggets with a buzzer-beating 3-pointer. Outside of writing, he enjoys listening to music and creating Spotify playlists.

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