Free agent center Jock Landale has reached an agreement with the Grizzlies, sources tell Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link). Memphis will make room on its roster by sending Jay Huff to the Pacers in exchange for a future second-round pick and a second-round pick swap, Charania adds (Twitter link).
Landale was waived by the Rockets on Thursday before his $8MM salary for the upcoming season became guaranteed. He was expected to be on the move on after Houston agreed to sign Clint Capela in free agency, adding to its center depth along with Alperen Sengun and Steven Adams.
The 29-year-old big man signed a four-year, $32MM contract with the Rockets in 2023 that contained just one fully guaranteed season. He appeared in 42 games this year, averaging 4.8 points and 3.3 rebounds in 11.9 minutes per night.
Landale’s new contract with Memphis will cover one year at the veteran’s minimum, sources tell Kelly Iko of The Athletic (Twitter link). He will provide another option for Memphis in light of Zach Edey‘s uncertain status after undergoing ankle surgery in June.
Indiana was able to pick up an additional big man in Huff after losing Myles Turner to Milwaukee earlier this week. The Pacers will be the fifth team in five years for the 26-year-old center, who is coming off his best NBA season. He appeared in 64 games for Memphis, averaging 6.9 points and 2.0 rebounds in 11.7 minutes per night while shooting 51.5% from the field and 40.5% from three-point range.
Huff will make $2.4MM and $2.7MM over the next two seasons, and his contract includes a $3MM player option for 2027/28.
The draft choice headed to Memphis will be a 2029 second-rounder that originally belonged to Portland, while the option for the pick swap will take place in 2031, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).
Huff can actually play. I remember his couple of games with Washington a few years back, he looked promising.
Had a good season in Memphis.
But he’s a shooter and dangles around the perimeter, and as a result doesn’t rebound. Indiana just don’t like good rebounders, it seems, lol. Anyway, good value for them. The guy has a good timing for blocks and doesn’t foul too much.
A decent cheap option to take some of the minutes left by Turner.
Huff could do a fair job of imitating Turner – he actually had more pts and blocks per 100 possessions despite shooting way fewer threes. Definitely a good pickup by the Pacers.
Huff also moves very well, for his size, he did not look out of place in that Memphis team that played fast. I’m sure Indiana were looking at that when looking at him. And he’s 7’0.5″ without shoes, so a legit 7-footer and has 2-3 inches on many “seven-footers” in the league.
Good scouting by Indiana.
If the Rockets had kept JOCK
they would have been STRAPPED !!
Interesting. Fits into the Wiseman TPE.
I’ve been a Jay Huff fan for a few years now, and I think he is a useful option for them at the 5, having Siakam or Walker at the 4 defensively next to him
Huh? Huff is good and young. Landale is a 3rd string center and 29. This trade makes zero sense to me.
Huff is also a 3rd string center. They weren’t traded for each other.
Surprised Grizz got rid of Huff. Maybe he didn’t waive anround enough guns around like Ja so they thought he was against the second amendment unlike most in TN.