The Los Angeles Lakers announced their latest transaction on Wednesday: the signing of center Jay Huff to an Exhibit-10 contract.
Exhibit-10 contracts are essentially one-year minimum deals that come with a training camp invite and can be converted into a two-way contract before the season, which allows players to shuffle back and forth between the G League affiliate and the pro club. The Lakers can also sign Huff to the active roster on a non-guaranteed minimum deal that can be waived at any point without salary cap penalties.
At 7'1, the 24-year-old Huff offers an enticing combination of rim protection, capable outside shooting, and finishing.
He appeared in four games with the Lakers on a two-way contract in 2021-22. In 28 games for the South Bay Lakers, Huff averaged 15.7 points on 64.1 percent shooting and shot just under 29 percent from downtown. He put up 6.1 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game.
Huff won an NCAA championship at the University of Virginia in 2018-19 and was named All-ACC and ACC All-Defense in 2020-21.
https://open.spotify.com/episode/2wsaZIZrrM0YHuxwMRJN2Z?si=e28ff5dc265f44a8
More recently, Huff impressed at Summer League. Including the pre-Las Vegas California Classic, the Lakers won all four games in which Huff played, and went 1-3 while he was in health and safety protocols. Overall, Huff totaled 49 points and 12 blocks across four outings.
“I shoot 3s, I catch lobs, and I block shots,” he told reporters.
Jay Huff is too good for the California Classicpic.twitter.com/OWKFjXHpK0
— Michael Corvo (@michaelcorvoNBA) July 2, 2022
A seven-footer with the euro step!#LakersSummer pic.twitter.com/XX90VMuBcW
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) July 17, 2022
7-footer with the pump-fake, pass-fake and finish 😳 pic.twitter.com/Ka4rMYYTiP
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) July 16, 2022
The Lakers signed two centers in free agency. Thomas Bryant isn't much of a rim protector but is a career 35 percent three-point shooter. He's the presumptive favorite to start on opening night alongside Anthony Davis and LeBron James in the frontcourt. The team also brought back Damian Jones, an athletic shot blocker and rim runner who dabbled with a three-point shot in 2021-22.
Los Angeles previously signed two of Huff's Summer League teammates, Javante McCoy and Fabian White Jr., to E-10s. Undrafted rookies Scotty Pippen Jr. and Cole Swider — a Summer League standout with an NBA ready jumper — are currently occupying the organization's two two-way contracts.
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