Stop me if you've heard this before: Toronto is said to have an interest in Jakob Poeltl.
Yes, the same Poeltl the Raptors selected with the No. 9 pick in the 2016 NBA Draft and included in the deal that landed them Kawhi Leonard. Yes, the same Poeltl who the Raptors have been linked to time and time again over the last few seasons.
With less than a month remaining before this season's trade deadline, is Poeltl someone the Raptors should be actively pursuing? If they were to acquire him, what would he bring to the table?
Let's take a closer look at the 27-year-old's strengths and weaknesses, as well as his contract situation.
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How good is Jakob Poeltl?
Strengths
Any conversation about Poeltl has to start with his defense.
He averaged 1.7 blocks per game last season, putting him behind only six players for the highest mark in the league. He also contested more shots at the rim than anyone else in the NBA on a per-game basis. Opponents struggled to score against him in those situations, shooting a whopping 8.2 percentage points worse than expected.
Poeltl hasn't been quite as stingy in that regard this season, but he's still among the league leaders in blocks and opponents are still shooting worse than expected when he's standing between them and the rim.
At 7-foot-1 with a 7-foot-1 wingspan, Poeltl is a massive presence in the paint, and he has excellent timing as a shot-blocker. (As TSN's Steph Noh noted last season, genetics might have something to do with that because his parents were both members of the Austrian national volleyball team.) He's more nimble than you might think as well.
Not that he's someone you want switching one through five, but Poeltl holds up pretty well when asked to venture outside of his comfort zone.
Beyond his defense, Poeltl grades out as one of the better offensive and defensive rebounders at the center position. While he doesn't take many shots — more on that in a minute — he's a career 62.8 percent shooter from the field. When he does shoot, he rarely misses.
Lastly, Poeltl has improved as a passer in his career. He'll throw a slick dime every so often.
Weaknesses
Poeltl's shot chart this season tells you almost everything you need to know about his limitations:
He's an excellent offensive rebounder who can hurt you at the basket and from floater range, but he's not a threat to score outside of the paint and he still relies heavily on his teammates to set up his scoring opportunities.
According to NBA.com, Poeltl has 81 unassisted baskets this season. The kicker? A good chunk of those were putbacks.
It doesn't help that Poeltl's trips to the free throw line are an adventure. A career 52.8 percent shooter from the charity stripe, he's a big and easy target to be intentionally fouled down the stretch of games.
How would Jakob Poeltl fit on the Raptors?
It's no secret that the Raptors could do with a real and more reliable option at center. Poeltl would check some important boxes with his rim protection and rebounding, and the Raptors would be able to surround him with enough playmaking for his weaknesses to not stand out like a sore thumb.
Toronto's spacing might take a hit, but it's not like the Raptors are shooting the lights out to begin with. Plus, there would be some familiarity depending on who is still on the roster. Poeltl spent the first two seasons of his career with the Raptors, is good friends with Pascal Siakam and played a decent amount alongside Fred VanVleet.
That experience certainly wouldn't hurt.
What would it take for Raptors to get Jakob Poeltl?
It wouldn't be difficult for a team like the Raptors to match Poeltl's salary, but acquiring him would likely require giving up some draft picks. Yes, picks, not a pick. According to The Athletic's Jared Weiss, San Antonio has made it known to teams interested in Poeltl that it wants not one, but two first-rounders in return for him.
Jakob Poeltl contract details
Poeltl signed a three-year, $27 million extension with the Spurs in 2020. He is in the final season of that extension, setting him up to be an unrestricted free agent in the offseason.
| Season | 2022-23 | 2023-24 |
| Jakob Poeltl | $9,398,148 | UFA |
According to The Athletic's Shams Charania, the Spurs have had a standing offer to Poeltl for his maximum extension — $58 million over four years — but it has been declined. Charania added that the Spurs will be able to offer Poeltl more in the offseason and rival executives believe he will approach $20 million per year on his next deal.
If the Raptors miss out on Poeltl at the trade deadline, they could pursue him in free agency.
