All articles tagged with #jakob poeltl
The Toronto Raptors are hesitant to trade Jakob Poeltl to the Phoenix Suns for Kevin Durant, despite ongoing trade discussions, as Poeltl has been a key player for the Raptors and they are not eager to part with him.
The Toronto Raptors' trade deadline moves have come back to haunt them as they lost Fred VanVleet to the Houston Rockets in free agency. The Raptors' decision to acquire Jakob Poeltl and add another core player set to hit the market was risky, and now they have a massive hole on their roster with no clear solution. While they managed to retain Poeltl, their offensive shortcomings and lack of long-term contracts for key players limited their leverage. The Raptors have signed Dennis Schröder as a replacement, but his shooting abilities are not on par with VanVleet's, putting pressure on other players to step up. The team now faces limited upward mobility and uncertainty in the near future.
Free agent center Jakob Poeltl has agreed to a four-year, $80 million contract with the Toronto Raptors, including a player option. Poeltl, who was acquired by the Raptors in a trade with the San Antonio Spurs last season, provided a much-needed boost to Toronto's defense with his interior presence. The 27-year-old averaged 12.5 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game last season.
Jakob Poeltl has agreed to a four-year, $80 million contract to return to the Toronto Raptors in the NBA's 2023 free-agency period. The 27-year-old center, who was traded to the San Antonio Spurs in 2018, proved to be a strong defensive presence and efficient offensive player. His return to the Raptors last season had a positive impact on the team's performance, but they fell short of making the playoffs.
The Toronto Raptors are confident in their core group and believe they can be a contender in the Eastern Conference next season. They are expected to meet with free agent Fred VanVleet and are working on plans to re-sign him and center Jakob Poeltl. The Raptors may face competition for VanVleet from the Houston Rockets, who could offer a lucrative contract. The San Antonio Spurs have also inquired about reuniting with Poeltl. Pascal Siakam has drawn interest from multiple teams, but the Raptors have not engaged in serious trade discussions. The Raptors are taking a wait-and-see approach with Gary Trent Jr.'s contract extension, and they were not interested in a trade involving Jordan Poole and OG Anunoby with the Golden State Warriors.
Raptors president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri cited "complacency" and "selfishness" as season-long problems for the team, leading to the dismissal of head coach Nick Nurse. Ujiri also mentioned Nurse's reluctance to play young bench players as a factor in the decision. The coaching staff was known to be "less than cohesive," and sweeping changes are expected. Ujiri praised Jakob Poeltl and expects Otto Porter Jr. to return next season. Ujiri denies rumors of leaving for the Wizards' front office vacancy.