One of the questions that the Toronto Raptors The question that constantly arises is whether Jakob Poeltl is their center of the future.
The veteran big man is four years older than everyone else in the team’s core and six years older than Scottie Barnes. The best years for this group are likely still to come. Will Poeltl still be playing at his best when he does? As a big man who runs to the rim and doesn’t shoot, is he the best fit for this group on offense? These are important questions the Raptors must continue to ask themselves as long as he’s on the team.
If the answers to these questions are uncertain, it’s time to look around the league for potential landing spots. We’ve highlighted a few of them recently on the sitebut there is one team we haven’t mentioned: the New York Knicks.
The Knicks lost Isaiah Hartenstein in free agency this summer, outbidding an Oklahoma City Thunder team that offered him a huge contract. They now plan to enter next season as a title contender, but are counting on injury-prone Mitchell Robinson as their only proven center. Former Toronto big man Precious Achiuwa will likely be the backup, with raw project center Jericho Sims behind them.
Could Jakob Poeltl be the answer the Knicks need to bolster their position? It’s entirely possible, if the Raptors were willing to trade him and were able to recoup solid value, especially considering they don’t have an answer behind him.
Will the two teams be able to find a deal that works for both parties? It’s difficult given the salaries involved, but perhaps bringing in a third team could help find a viable trade for all parties involved. Let’s take a look at a recently proposed trade to send Jakob Poeltl to the Big Apple and evaluate it for the Raptors.
