There is a strong current brewing in the Raptors' organization regarding their recent decisions. It’s no secret that Toronto made some questionable choices with their extension offers to Immanuel Quickley and Jakob Poeltl. Quickley was signed to a five-year, $175 million extension as a restricted free agent in the 2024 offseason. In hindsight, this summer revealed that IQ’s contract essentially broke the RFA market, as many players in his position tried to justify similar figures, but no other NBA teams were willing to match that price.
This situation serves as a stern reminder to the Raptors’ front office that they may have overextended themselves by pushing to sign Quickley so quickly and aggressively. Sure, it might have soured Quickley and his team if Toronto had played hardball, but which other teams out there were willing to pay upwards of $30+ million a year? Can't think of many, huh?
Similarly, I was aware that Jakob Poeltl's future would be a key storyline to follow, as well as RJ Barrett's to a degree. The Raptors proved they were all-in on the Jakob train, increasing his salary to a total of $104 million over the next four years with a controversial extension this past summer. In the immediate aftermath, I tried to play devil's advocate a little and noted that this move was a "necessary evil" for Toronto, given history showing horrid results without Poeltl in the lineup.
Now that I think about it, though, I truly wonder how much of that impact is due to Jakob Poeltl's presence and skillset specifically, or if we're just being led to believe he's a huge help because he's the Raptors' only real center. If Toronto had other options — players on cheaper deals, slightly younger, and not dealing with a bad back — would Jakob still have such a significant impact compared to those guys?
From a talent perspective, I do not discount either of these gentlemen's ability to play basketball at a high level. When healthy and performing at their best, they can significantly impact the game. However, the unfortunate reality is that Toronto has created a challenging situation by committing too much money to two players who can potentially make the franchise highly volatile. It's quite boom-or-bust with either guy, often on the brink of disaster when both aren't performing well, as we saw in the early 2025-26 sample.
Raptors locked into high-cost turmoil with Quickley and Poeltl
If Immanuel Quickley cannot hit his shots — which is such an inconsistent thought — it's worth noting that while he's a solid passer, he's not an elite point guard with shifty dribble moves to shake off defenders and create new opportunities. IQ's strong November shooting campaign, during which he increased his three-point percentage to 40.4% from a lowly 25.0% in October, is once again teetering in December, as he's currently shooting just 33.3% from beyond the arc.
Similarly, Poeltl's recurring back issues have become a nightmare scenario for the Raptors. Despite Toronto's efforts to manage his minutes and navigate back-to-back games, his ongoing struggles have set the team back significantly. We've recently seen reports that Toronto is actively seeking backup center help for Poeltl and aiming to get under the luxury tax. However, it's disappointing to realize that the Raptors might have had much more high-upside options if they hadn't committed so much of their salary cap to two players with highly unpredictable value.
It’s becoming clear that Toronto may be forced to accept their mistakes and ride the wave. While this approach has led to some success, like the Raptors' strong November run, nobody enjoys the constant swings between highs and lows. Ultimately, consistency is key — hot streaks followed by cold spells don’t build long-term success.