Raptors news

The Toronto Raptors immediately got better with the addition of Jakob Poeltl. The question is by how much, and what will come next?

And the market could be frothy. Not that he’s been the problem, just that he’s not a one-man solution. Because on the surface, the Raptors look to be wading into more mediocrity. And even the step forward isn’t a lock. Anunoby has generated as trade target, it’s hard to imagine the Raptors won’t be making at least one more move. ET deadline passes and the Raptors are done dealing. And could the Raptors use him? But Koloko’s offensive challenges and high foul rate have meant the Raptors haven’t been able to uses them very much. And while Poeltl profiles as a good defender, the Spurs are 30th in defensive rating this season and have been 16th, 17th, 25th and 19th in Poeltl’s previous four years in San Antonio. Given the Raptors are 19th in opponent’s field goal percentage inside five feet, adding a veteran seven-footer should be a plus. He is a role-playing big who can bolster a defence and support an offence with screen setting, finishing at the rim and playmaking. Just a really good, smart, tough, hard-working, does a lot of the game, right?” said Nurse, who was an assistant to then Raptors head coach Dwane Casey during Poeltl’s two seasons in Toronto, and worked closely with the bench unit.

The pair cemented their friendship after being drafted by Toronto and endeared themselves to Raptors fans.

The Toronto Raptors are acquiring San Antonio Spurs center Jakob Poeltl for Khem Birch, a protected 2024 first-round draft pick and two future second-round ...

The Raptors have won three straight for just the second time all season, but it's likely too late to flip the script heading into Thursday's trade deadline.

Pascal Siakam, O.G. Anunoby and VanVleet are all very good NBA players. They are not Durant. Moments after the Raptors did something that seemed impossible a ...

[Khem Birch](https://theathletic.com/nba/player/khem-birch-XEXE5uvh2pS7ufKn/), the Spurs get a 2024 first-round pick back, protected if it falls in the top six through 2026, according to Hoopshype, as well as the Raptors’ 2023 and 2025 second-round picks. [Gary Trent Jr.](https://theathletic.com/nba/player/gary-trent-jr-zZoHqRt2NYjJg9ul/) — who will be unrestricted free agents this offseason, assuming they decline their player options. [He’s off to Phoenix](https://theathletic.com/4170997/2023/02/09/kevin-durant-trade-nets-suns-jae-crowder/) for basically everything the [Suns](https://theathletic.com/nba/team/suns/) could have given the Nets, and most of what they might have given to the Raptors for VanVleet, Anunoby or Siakam. [Pascal Siakam](https://theathletic.com/nba/player/pascal-siakam-O4WMbrh2Eb51D9jq/), O.G. Simply adding a ballpark starting salary of $18 million for Poeltl and $4 million for their first rounder would put the Raptors on the precipice of paying the luxury tax. “Just a really good, smart, tough, hard-working (player). Not only did Irving impact the point guard trade market that might have otherwise been highlighted by [Fred VanVleet](https://theathletic.com/nba/player/fred-vanvleet-DJq74red8aTFXbfg/), but also the idea that [Kevin Durant](https://theathletic.com/nba/player/kevin-durant-ho6h1sijyi2PAURU/) might also want out of Brooklyn made all other potential moves seem small by comparison. Moments after the Raptors did something that seemed impossible a few days ago — added a player with the intent of competing now instead of later, [acquiring Jakob Poeltl from San Antonio](https://theathletic.com/4170959/2023/02/09/spurs-jakob-poeltl-trade-raptors/) — the Durant news came. Poeltl’s rim protection stats aren’t as good as Koloko’s, or as his own have been in the past, but he’s a clear upgrade to their other options at the position. It seems like we’ll have to wait a little longer for a sense of where this is all going, though. [point this disappointing team in a definitive direction](https://theathletic.com/4165014/2023/02/08/raptors-trade-deadline-koreen/). Every move has a subtle impact on every one that follows, even if it is imperceptible at the time.

How did the Raptors and Spurs fare in this deal? Let's break down some trade grades for each team.

The Spurs already have one of the worst records in the NBA and some of the best odds of getting the No. [According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype](https://hoopshype.com/lists/nba-rumors-kevin-durant-mikal-bridges-jae-crowder-og-anunoby-knicks-raptors-grizzlies/), the first-round pick the Raptors are sending the Spurs is protected No. They obviously didn't get that, but getting one first-rounder and two seconds is still a decent return considering they're very much in a rebuild and ran the risk of Poeltl walking in the offseason as an unrestricted free agent. Poeltl is on the books for $9.4 million in the 2022-23 season. It's hard to evaluate the picks the Raptors are giving up without knowing the protection and what other deals they may make ahead of today's trade deadline. Poeltl spent the first two seasons of his career in Toronto before being included in the Kawhi Leonard trade that led to an NBA title.