NBA Free Agent Center #1: Jakob Poeltl
The Toronto Raptors gave up a lot to acquire center Jakob Poeltl from the Spurs at the trade deadline. However, they may opt for a summer teardown that could include letting All-Star Fred Van Vleet leave in free agency, trading OG Anunoby, and not re-signing Poeltl.
Raptors Believed To Be Still Debating Which Direction To Take With Roster https://t.co/XOBod65Rob
— RealGM (@RealGM) May 27, 2023
At 27, Poeltl is in his prime but may be too old to be a part of a rebuild. He could also make around $20 million a year, possibly pricing Toronto out of bringing him back. Whether he decides to sign elsewhere or not, the decision to reacquire him given the asking price from the Spurs seems questionable at best.
They traded a first-round pick that is top-six protected in 2024 and 2025, as well as two second-round picks for Poeltl. That first-round pick is particularly costly since they would have to finish with one of the two worst records in the NBA in each of the next two seasons to ensure that it wouldn’t transfer to the Spurs.
Even for a rebuilding team, that is a high bar to clear. Still, Poeltl, who is one of the better big men in the NBA, does help by addressing an issue. The Raptors are known for their length but had a big hole at center prior to trading for Poeltl.
Letting him leave would put them back at square one while re-signing him makes the team better when they may be trying to get worse. Classic catch-22. Ultimately, Poeltl will get offers this summer and decide where he wants to play, and the Raptors will have to decide in which direction they want to steer their franchise.
Overall, this year’s free agent center class is stronger than in previous years. That said, given the prevalence of centers, and the lack of available cap space many players on this list could ultimately stay put this summer.