Jakob Poeltl is the last of the five starters to be discussed in my series of year-end Raptors report cards.
How has Jakob Poeltl's season shaped up to this year-end point?
So far in 21 games played for the Toronto Raptors at the time of writing, Jakob Poeltl is averaging just 9.7 points, which is his lowest mark since the 2020-21 season, on 69.3 percent shooting. He is also averaging 7.7 rebounds, also his lowest since 2020-21, along with 2.1 assists in 25.3 minutes of action per game.
Much like I wrote about Immanuel Quickley before him, there is a lot of uncertainty and arguably more disappointment surrounding the Jakob Poeltl discourse heading into 2026. Just the other day, I highlighted how Jakob Poeltl is expected to miss at least another week of Raptors basketball as he recovers from a nagging back injury. This has been a significant problem for much of the 2025-26 campaign so far.
Although it was less of a gut punch than hearing Poeltl would be out indefinitely or might opt for season-ending surgery, it remains a major challenge for the Raptors to navigate, especially as the new year begins. I believe Toronto’s decision to sign Mo Bamba to a one-year deal is just the first step in trying to pivot to alternative options in light of Poeltl's grim developments. However, it does not hide the fact that the 2025-26 season has raised numerous alarm bells, particularly considering the potentially franchise-dire mistake of recently signing Poeltl to a lofty $104 million contract extension.
What we have seen in the 2025-26 campaign so far is the Raptors being very cautious with how they utilize Poeltl. They have been trying to rest him on back-to-back schedules because he has become a somewhat fragile talent on the roster. We were already somewhat aware last year, and during the offseason/training camp of warning signs indicating that Poeltl was experiencing some issues.
But now it is just an extremely grim turn of events for a guy I was very happy to see gaining a second wind in his career, despite getting up there in age. Perhaps that excitement and those expectations were a bit too exaggerated. I believe that given the nature of his injury and his declining performance, there just isn't a clear path for Poeltl to return to the superb levels he was at not too long ago.
Poeltl is certainly important for this Raptors core because he has been their only key center in the lineup for quite some time. I believe that if Toronto could find a better and more affordable option, Poeltl might not be as necessary. However, recent Raptors rumors suggest they prefer to have backups to support him rather than move on completely. But, finding a trade partner for Poeltl would be more advantageous and smart basketball business given how things are developing, if anyone is willing to take him on at all.
To echo what I heard coach James Wade say earlier this year, "Jakob Poeltl has to grab 10 rebounds for us to be successful." Due to his lingering injury setbacks and on-court regression, that just has not been the case for Toronto as 2025 comes to a close. In fact, Poeltl has only recorded four games with double-digit rebounds out of his 21 appearances in the 2025-26 season.
I wanted to continue believing in Poeltl, but that faith is waning rather quickly.
Grade: D+
*All stats courtesy of Basketball Reference and NBA.com, unless otherwise noted