Bulls free agency update offers Raptors a costly Jakob Poeltl escape route

If there’s one thing Raptors fans have been waiting for, it’s for the team to move on from Jakob Poeltl and upgrade the center position. Poeltl isn’t a bad player, but the Raptors signed him to an expensive contract extension, and his lingering injury issues don’t inspire a ton of confidence in his ability to be an impactful player for a team hoping to make it out of the first round of the playoffs soon. 

That contract extension has already caused some problems. The Raptors were reportedly in talks with the Grizzlies and Kings at the trade deadline to acquire Jaren Jackson Jr. or Domantas Sabonis. They couldn’t find a team to take on Poeltl’s contract in the first case, and The Stein Line recently reported that the Kings also weren’t (and still aren’t) interested in him. 

An update on the Bulls’ free agency plans gives the Raptors an escape route, but it would cost them draft assets. 

“Chicago also has significant cap space this summer,” HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto reported recently. “However, that doesn’t necessarily mean the Bulls will be looking to make a big splash in free agency. As Chicago embarks on a rebuild, the Bulls are open to absorbing contracts with their cap space in exchange for draft pick compensation, HoopsHype has learned.”

The Raptors own all of their first-round picks through 2032 and their second-round picks through 2030. They have the assets to convince the Bulls to take on Poeltl’s contract, but giving up draft assets (which could become very valuable quickly in the new lottery system, depending on how much the Raptors actually improve) just to move on from one player definitely isn’t ideal. The Raptors would have to be really sure that any center upgrade they can find will make a significant difference to make this move worth it. 

The Raptors are actively looking for center upgrades, many of which only make sense if they can move Poeltl

NBA insider Jake Fischer reported earlier this month that the Raptors, alongside the Bulls, Hornets, and Lakers, were known to be looking for a center upgrade and linked them to the Knicks’ Mitchell Robinson. However, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reported shortly after that the Knicks seem prepared to outbid their competition and re-sign Robinson in free agency. 

The Raptors have also been linked to Sabonis (again), but so have the Hornets, and they can probably outbid them, given that the Kings reportedly aren’t interested in Poeltl or Immanuel Quickley. Myles Turner is another trade target to watch for the Raptors, but his availability seems to depend entirely on whatever happens with Giannis Antetokounmpo. 

Moreover, trading for Walker Kessler could be an option. The Athletic’s Sam Amick recently reported that Kessler wasn’t thrilled with his situation in Utah, so the Raptors could try to work out a deal as he hits restricted free agency. 

Going after any of those players makes little sense with Poeltl on the roster, both because of overlapping skill sets in a few cases and because of salary concerns. 

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