FEBRUARY 9: The trade is now official, the Raptors have announced in a press release.
FEBRUARY 8: The Spurs have agreed to trade center Jakob Poeltl to the Raptors in exchange for Khem Birch and draft assets, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Sources tell Wojnarowski that San Antonio will receive the Raptors’ protected first-rounder in 2024, along with two future second-round picks. According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, the 2024 first-rounder will be top-six protected through 2026, while the second-rounders will be Toronto’s own in 2023 and 2025.
The ninth overall pick in the 2016 draft, Poeltl began his career in Toronto before being included in the blockbuster deal that sent Kawhi Leonard to the Raptors during the 2018 offseason.
He has spent the last four-and-a-half seasons in San Antonio and has steadily grown into a more well-rounded big man during that time, showing the ability to protect the rim on defense and to be a solid screen-setter and complementary scorer on offense.
Poeltl has played his best basketball since the start of the 2021/22 season, averaging 12.9 points, 9.2 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 1.5 blocks per night in 113 games (27.8 MPG) during that stretch.
The center’s strong play made him a popular trade candidate this season for the Spurs, who are in the midst of a rebuild and are very much lottery-bound — their record dropped to 14-41 on Wednesday as a loss in Toronto extended their current losing streak to 10 games.
San Antonio was said to be seeking a pair of first-round picks for Poeltl, but will have to settle for a single first-rounder and two seconds for the 27-year-old, who will be an unrestricted free agent this summer after earning $9.4MM this season and is considered likely to warrant a commitment in the range of $15-20MM per year.
According to Wojnarowski (via Twitter), the Raptors – who have been in the market for a reliable center since the departures of Marc Gasol and Serge Ibaka in 2020 – intend to sign Poeltl to a new contract this summer. They’ll control his Bird rights, giving them the ability to offer him any amount up to the maximum without any cap restrictions.
It’s a fascinating move for a Raptors team that has been widely considered a probable seller leading up to Thursday’s trade deadline, with veterans like Fred VanVleet, Gary Trent Jr., and OG Anunoby frequently mentioned in trade rumors.
Previous reports had indicated that Toronto was generating some confusion among rival teams who were trying to figure out the club’s path at the deadline, and there was a sense that Masai Ujiri and his front office wouldn’t completely hit the reset button on the current roster.
More trades could come, since VanVleet and Trent can reach free agency this summer and the Raptors still have a glut of wings, but for now, they’ve at least addressed their hole at center and don’t appear prepared to throw in the towel on this season.
As for the Spurs, they continue to stockpile future first-round picks after acquiring a few last offseason as part of the return for Dejounte Murray. The expectation is that they’ll gather even more draft assets before Thursday’s deadline arrives, per Wojnarowski (Twitter link). Josh Richardson and Doug McDermott are among the veteran trade candidates still on the roster.
It’s unclear whether Birch will be part of the Spurs’ plans going forward. The 30-year-old center has appeared in just 20 games this season, averaging career lows in points (2.2), rebounds (1.3), and minutes (8.1) per contest. He’s earning approximately $6.7MM this season and has a guaranteed salary of nearly $7MM for 2023/24, so even if he’s waived before the fall, he would cut into San Antonio’s projected ’23 cap room.
Following the deal, the Spurs remain $25.6MM below the cap and $15.7MM under the salary floor for this season, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Twitter links).
Luke Adams contributed to this story.
Gonna be an interesting deadline…
Excellent trade for Toronto. They’re moving OG as well so the new starters will be Poetl, Siakam, Barnes, Trent and FFV. But they may move the two guards as well
They’ll most likely keep GTJ and FFV. But turn OG into shooting/depth. With the KD news, Memphis and Pelicans are going to be on Masai line and Masai will get a haul for him. FVV trade that interested Masai was the Magic proposal but that maybe off the table. Suggs and Fultz with Bamba or Bol Bol.
Raptors trade FVV + Flynn for Fultz + BoL BoL + Suggs + 1st . That would be a trade the Raptors can rebuild their bench .
Fultz, Trent Jr., Barnes, Siakam , Poetl
Suggs, xxxxx, BoL BoL, Boucher, Precious
Raptors than would have to trade OG for Trey Murphy + Herb Jones + Nance Jr+ FRPs
Finally trade Boucher for Burks of the Pistons
That might be too much for OG. It would have to be Herb or Trey, being that it’s OG it’ll most likely be Herb, as they’re redundant, Graham, probably Dyson gets included to mirror Barnes window plus picks. Idk Griffin is willing to give up Nance as he helps with so many matchups in the playoffs.
You do know FVV is a free agent and Magic have the money to sign him straight up right?? Come on man
Why upgrade with Poetl only to trade your other talent away? Will Poetl be on the move again? This seems like an attempt tweak the team to get better not trade for a rebuild.
Does this mean they’re not moving OG or any of the other guys? Or are they taking a mixed approach?
Knowing Masai I’d lean mixed approach, especially since they acquired Poeltl with the intent on resigning him over the summer.
OG has been stood down from their road trip so most likely being moved
They need depth and they need to turn their one of their starters into depth. OG would get them the best haul. Pelicans and Grizzlies may be the ones to look out for after the KD news.
This deal would matter if it happened 30 games ago when Toronto could still save their season. That said this shows the Spurs unwavering commitment to Wembanyana or Henderson.
They are in the play in with a super soft schedule to finish the year…
I’ve read the standings but the only thing they have to hope for is winning the play in only to be destroyed by the Celtics, Bucks or 76ers. This move is about next season for the Raptors. For the Spurs it is about the draft lottery.
That’s fine. They have played those 3 teams tough.
Good start for the Raptors but if your planning on resigning him that likely means FVV or GTJ is gone. In which case your probably better off moving said player before the deadline and getting some thing back for him now.
Personally I’d say bye bye to FVV and move Scottie Barnes to PG and play him kinda like Ben Simmons, an oversized slashing PG that also looks to create for others on a collapsed/sliding defence. His lack of playmaking is kinda helped by Siakim and Poeltl being good passers of the ball for their positions so the offence should always be in motion. Defensively Scottie would be insane at PG much like Ben, he could clamp 95% of guards and obviously can switch onto forwards. You’d need GTJ for his floor spacing and by moving Scottie, OG easily slides into SF.
In the offseason you’d have to work some magic trying to find value in shooters and versatility but I could see it working.
I could see a three team deal
Toronto: Jae Crowder and Seth Curry
Brooklyn: Terrance Ross and Mo Bamba
Orlando: FVV
Orlando give you next to nothing for a guy they want. Ross is looking like a buy out candidate and Mo looks like his option won’t get picked up. Whereas Fred is a former all star, great deal for them.
Toronto if you not going to pay him and your well outside the playoffs, you may aswell jump now and try turn the season around and build for the future. Seth would be great giving them a shooter and Jae a very solid sixth man.
Lastly Brooklyn, your already loaded with 3 and D forwards (Joe Harris, Royce, DFS, Simmons, Bridges, Johnson) so giving up Crowder who’s on an expiring deal isn’t a huge loss and Seth although a decent role player for them can easily be replaced by the wave on new players coming in, Patty Mills who’s sitting there and young Cam Thomas who’s been balling. What they need is a floor spacing back up centre and more athletic wings.
Toronto line up
Scottie GTJ OG Siakim Poeltl
Flynn Seth Crowder Thad/Boucher Precious
Alternatively they could go
FVV for Monte Morris and Will Barton
Washington agains gets a bargain former all star for next to nothing. FVV Beal Kuzma KP all offence but solid players none the less.
Toronto Gets Morris in as the back up PG and Barton coming off the bench provides some spark along side Boucher and Precious etc
Another option is
FVV and Boucher for RoCo, Luke Kennard, John Wall and their 2023 first round pick
Clippers get a upgrade at PG which they seem to be after and Boucher gives them abit of relief as a small ball 5.
FVV PG Kawhi Morris Zu that’s solid
Reggie Powell Coffey/Mann Batum Boucher
For the raptors it’s building out the bench and adding draft capital
Scottie GTJ OG Siakim Poeltl
Wall Kennard RoCo Thad Precious
Kennard also acts as an insurance for GTJ if he becomes to expensive in FA.
They would be far better holding on to him and doing a sign and trade this summer than giving him away for nothing
With the trade of Jakob Poeltl I don’t think the Toronto Raptors are blowing it up. I do think they will make a trade but I don’t see them blowing it up.
real question is how is khem making 15 mil the next 2 seasons?
The Spurs have really turned into a trash organization
Bench MOB, is now the Starter MOB. Lol. Call CJ Miles back.
The protection on the pick indicates that there’s no consideration of blowing up the roster.
Toronto needs scoring now. OG is gonna have to be dealt to accomplish that, and maybe a couple other guys. Poeltl is fairly slow, but he is efficient in the middle. Siakam will benefit greatly, FFV too.