Jay Huff says he added 10 to 15 pounds while working on his jumper and spending the summer playing pickup with Tyrese Haliburton.
Jay Huff has not changed cities this offseason, which had not happened before in his career. He said so at Victory Field on Monday night, in an availability before the Pacers Foundation Charity Softball Classic reported by Alex Golden of Indiana Pacers On SI.
Huff went undrafted out of Virginia in 2021 and spent time with the Los Angeles Lakers, Washington Wizards, Denver Nuggets, and Memphis Grizzlies before the Indiana Pacers traded for him in July 2025. Memphis received a second-round pick and a second-round pick swap. Huff signed a four-year deal with the Grizzlies in October 2024 worth just over $10 million, and Indiana holds a team option on the final season.
Staying in one place gave him a full offseason in the weight room.
"I bulked up a little bit, while still trying to be fast," Huff said. "Been in the weight room a lot, been working on my jumper a lot."
Huff told reporters the gain was about 10 to 15 pounds. He is listed at 7-foot-1 and 240 pounds.
Huff played 82 games last season in Indiana, averaging 9.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 1.9 blocks. He shot 47.6% from the field and 31.9% from 3-point range. Previously, in Memphis, he played 64 games with a 40.5% 3-point percentage.
Much of the summer has gone into pickup games with Tyrese Haliburton.
"He makes everyone around him better and I think that's useful to have," Huff explained.
"We missed him a lot last year," Huff continued. "I think having him back learning to play together, he's got a lot of guys back that have played with him, but it's been good to learn that since we haven't done that."
The two had not shared a floor before this summer. Haliburton tore his right Achilles tendon in Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals, three weeks before Indiana traded for Huff, and missed all of last season. The Pacers won 19 games.
Huff was the G League Defensive Player of the Year in 2022-23, when he led the league with 3.1 blocks a game.
Ivica Zubac is the starting center. Indiana acquired him from the Los Angeles Clippers on Feb. 5 for Bennedict Mathurin, Isaiah Jackson, two first-round picks, and a second-round pick. Kobe Brown came in the same deal.
Behind Zubac are Huff and Larry Nance Jr., who signed a one-year minimum contract worth $3.9 million and count over $2.4 million against the cap. The team waived Micah Potter to make room. Myles Turner left the previous offseason for a four-year, $108.9 million contract with Milwaukee.
Huff said he has spoken with Nance and Kelly Oubre Jr. after games. He knows Nance's brother, Pete, from G League years. Oubre, another free-agent, joined on a two-year deal from Philadelphia.
Monday's game was the first Pacers Foundation Charity Softball Classic. Haliburton and Indianapolis Colts quarterback Daniel Jones captained the rosters, and Huff took the field on the blue team alongside Braden Smith.
Camp opens Sept. 29 at Ascension St. Vincent Center. The opener is Oct. 21 in New Orleans.
