The last time starting center Jakob Poeltl took the court for the Toronto Raptors was December 21, which means it’s been well over a month since we’ve seen the 30-year-old vet in action. Raptors fans have been hearing updates about Poeltl’s return timeline here and there. A while back, we were told he was finally cleared for contact, but that was at the beginning of January. Now, February is just around the corner, and it still doesn’t seem like there’s a firm timeline for his comeback.
To be frank, Poeltl’s play before he went down wasn’t anything extraordinary, whether that’s mostly due to injury issues or the inevitable decline that comes with age. But still, it’s undoubtedly worth having a true center available for the Raptors than being forced to play guys out of their ideal position. I mean, just ask Scottie Barnes — he's echoed this sentiment before.
I don't usually like playing the negative Nancy, but you’ve got to consider the combustible elements in the Jakob Poeltl situation.
He’s dealing with a bad back that doesn’t seem to be improving, he's getting up there in age, and on top of that, his price tag just got more expensive after Toronto shelled out that massive extension over the summer. Hats off to the Raptors for staying competitive despite such a glaring absence in their lineup. A lot of the praise is well-deserved for guys like Sandro Mamukelashvili, Collin Murray-Boyles, and, of course, Scottie Barnes.
Poeltl isn’t exactly the kind of asset the Raptors can just unload right away, but his name has been popping up in the rumor mill. Toronto is eyeing a spot in the trade sweepstakes for stars like Domantas Sabonis, Anthony Davis, and, heating up more recently, Giannis Antetokounmpo. Giannis' availability has made the Raptors' trade rumors even more exciting — though the path to make it happen could prove difficult and rather costly.
Despite all the frontcourt star power that could potentially join their ranks, the Toronto Raptors still seem hopeful and optimistic about Jakob Poeltl’s inevitable comeback and him regaining peak form. Head coach Darko Rajakovic recently spoke about it in his post-practice media availability on January 27, where he said (YouTube link here):
Darko Rajakovic just wants Jakob Poeltl back; he isn't focused on the trade buzz
"There's one guy that I really, really like, that I would like him to join our team. His name is Jakob Poeltl. [...] That guy can definitely help us in any trades to to be our starting center."Darko Rajakovic on Jakob Poeltl
Rajakovic also mentioned that they are still keeping an eye on Poeltl’s situation, describing it as "day-to-day" and saying it comes down to "managing the pain." As the head coach of a team, I wouldn’t expect Rajakovic to say anything less in such a position. We’ve seen that throughout the season, with how he’s spoken about Gradey Dick, Jamal Shead, Ochai Agbaji, RJ Barrett, and others. You’d hope a head coach would always come across as the consummate professional, putting his players first above everything.
While confidence in Poeltl has more or less soured among Raptors fans, Darko Rajakovic and the team probably just want this nightmare to end — at least for now, not through a trade, but simply by having him available for the team to utilize.