Toronto Raptors planning to "go all-out" next few years
The Toronto Raptors made a pretty big splash last week trading for Brandon Ingram, bringing in the one-time NBA All-Star from the New Orleans Pelicans.
With the Raptors currently sitting 13th in the Eastern Conference, the move turned some heads as to what exactly the front office’s end goal would be.
But according to at least one of their players, the team is expecting to go “all-out” over the next few seasons.
This week, Raptors veteran forward Jakob Poeltl spoke to Austrian reporters, as transcribed by Philip Bauer from Der Standard, about the team’s future and his thoughts about sticking around past another trade deadline.
“He can help us a lot offensively. We have our number one scoring option in Scottie Barnes. But he is an all-round player, a playmaker, very aggressive in defence, too. You just give Ingram the ball. He could be a good fit for us,” Poeltl said of Ingram’s addition to the team.
Poeltl’s name was connected by a few sources to the Los Angeles Lakers after the team traded away centre Anthony Davis in a blockbuster deal centred around Luka Doncic.
“There’s little point in thinking about it too much. If I let myself get driven crazy by rumours, I’ll just feel worse. I try to ignore it. You approach the trade deadline in the hope that you can stay. But you’re ready for anything to happen. That’s the NBA,” Poeltl said of the Lakers rumours. “I don’t know if the Lakers were really interested. I don’t even know if there were talks between the Lakers and the Raptors.”
With the Raptors five games out of the final play-in spot, Poeltl said the team’s more focused on building a strong foundation for the future.
“[Making the postseason is] not the first priority. Sure, the experience of getting a taste of the playoffs would be cool for the young players. But our goal is to go all-out in the next few years.”
Poeltl also added that while it’s flattering to see his name in trade rumours, he’d prefer to be secure in one place.
“It’s a sign that you’re doing something right. But I couldn’t be happy [being in trade rumours]… I prefer stability. I want to know where I stand. There’s a project in Toronto that I’m part of. I’ve been working on it for a while, and I want to continue it. And the Raptors have said that they’re planning to work with me,” Poeltl said.
Poeltl is currently out with a hip pointer injury. The Raptors return to Scotiabank Arena tonight with a game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, their final contest before the All-Star break.