Jakob Poeltl is a solid NBA centre, but an awkward fit with the Raptors
New York TimesTORONTO — On Tuesday, The Athletic reported that neither the Chicago Bulls nor Zach LaVine would mind a parting of ways. There are a number of long-term decisions the Raptors need to make, and committing to a core including LaVine, who is in the second year of a five-year, $215 million contract, requires having a firm read on their preferred path, plus the strong feeling that you will be able to walk said trail without rubbing up against the poison ivy that is unrestricted free agency. Unquestionably, the Raptors complicated things by adding Jakob Poeltl at last year’s trade deadline, giving up a lightly protected first-round pick to acquire him. Poeltl’s rim protection has been better than last year, with opponents shooting 57.7 percent against him when he is the primary defender within six feet of the rim, according to NBA.com. Coming into the Bucks game, the Raptors had been outscored by 5.9 points over 100 possessions this year when Siakam, Barnes and Poeltl shared the floor, with the struggles predictably coming on offence.
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