Raptors complete trade with Spurs for Jakob Poeltl: report

John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports

Jakob Poeltl is coming back to the Toronto Raptors.

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Raptors have traded with the San Antonio Spurs for the centre, in exchange for Khem Birch, a protected 2024 first-round draft pick and two future second-round picks.

Poeltl won’t have far to travel; his former team the Spurs were playing in Toronto on Wednesday night, with the team presumably giving him some sort of heads up about the possibility of him switching teams following the game.

Wojnarowski added that Toronto has the intention of “signing him to a new contract this summer,” as he is currently in the final year of a three-year deal worth $26.25 million.

The Raptors bring back the center they drafted, developed and traded for Kawhi Leonard with an intention of signing him to a new contract this summer, sources tell ESPN. Toronto's been desperate for a center and they've landed him in Poeltl now. https://t.co/AUmGfKqWu9

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 9, 2023

Poeltl was initially drafted by the Raptors back in 2016, taken ninth overall by Toronto after playing college basketball in Utah.

In 2018, he was traded along with DeMar DeRozan as part of a package for the most significant trade in Raptors’ history, where he was shipped to San Antonio (along with a series of draft picks) in exchange for Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green.

Poeltl had been heavily rumoured as a Raptors trade target for nearly a month.

A native of Vienna, Austria, 7’1″ Poeltl has averaged 12.1 points, 9.0 rebounds and 3.1 assists in 46 games this season.

Poeltl fills a hole that the Raptors have been missing since the departure of big men Serge Ibaka and Marc Gasol in 2020: reliable, consistent centre play.

It is unclear exactly where Poeltl slots into the Raptors’ lineup, although he had started all 46 games he has played for San Antonio this season.

The NBA trade deadline is set for Thursday at 3 pm ET.

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