3 Trade Destinations for Jakob Poeltl in 2024 NBA Offseason

The Toronto Raptors are coming off of a season in which they decided it was time to rebuild their roster. At the trade deadline, they sent OG Anunoby to the New York Knicks and Pascal Siakam to the Indiana Pacers . In return, they received many young players and picks, including RJ Barrett , Bruce Brown and Immanuel Quickley .

With the Raptors rebuilding, they finished 25-57, their worst record since the 2011-12 season, and missed the playoffs for the third time in the last four seasons. They started their offseason by signing Scottie Barnes and Quickley to extensions, securing their young core for years to come.

With Toronto still trying to compete for at least a play-in spot next season, there have been rumors surrounding a potential trade to send Bruce Brown out of town, but another player who could be on the way out of Toronto is Jakob Poeltl .

Poeltl started his career as the Raptors’ ninth overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft. He spent his first two seasons in Toronto before being traded along with DeMar DeRozan to the San Antonio Spurs for Kawhi Leonard in the 2018 offseason. After spending five seasons in San Antonio, the Spurs then sent him back to the Raptors during the 2022 trade deadline.

Known for his defense, Poeltl has become one of the best shot-blockers in the NBA while also becoming a reliable inside scorer. In 50 last season, Poeltl averaged 11.1 points, 8.6 rebounds and 1.5 blocks while shooting 65.6% from the field. The 28-year-old center also posted a defensive rating of 114.9, proving he is an elite rim protector and inside defender.

With quite a few teams around the NBA needing to add another big man to their roster, Poeltl should see a lot of interest if he is put on the trade block. He is one of the league’s best paint defenders and a solid inside scorer. Despite playing just 50 games due to injury last season, he is usually able to stay on the court, playing in under 65 games just twice during his eight-year career.

Here are three potential trade destinations for Poeltl this offseason.

Orlando Magic

Magic add size and more defense

After being the surprise team last season, the Orlando Magic have already made moves this offseason to push for a championship next year. Orlando finished with the fifth-best record in the Eastern Conference last season, behind Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner . In a season where they were expected to struggle due to their rebuild, they shocked everyone by making the playoffs and pushing the Cleveland Cavaliers to seven games in the first round before being eliminated.

With the rebuild over, Orlando is set to be a threat in the East for years to come. To start their offseason, they signed Kentavious Caldwell-Pope while re-signing key players from last season, such as Moritz Wagner and Gary Harris . They also extended Jonathan Isaac’s contract for another five seasons. One area that Orlando needs to improve on is its size. They do not have one seven-footer on the roster, but going after Poeltl this offseason would change that.

The Magic would send Jett Howard and two draft picks to the Raptors for Poeltl in this deal. By adding Poeltl, the Magic would improve their size while adding another great defender to an already top-five NBA defense. Poeltl would likely slot in as the starting center, moving Wendell Carter Jr. to the bench.

With Poeltl starting, he will be able to be a dominant force in the paint while also being a great pick-and-roll player for Orlando’s young core. With this addition, the Magic may just have what it takes to take another step forward next season and compete at the top of the Eastern Conference.

For Toronto, they would add Howard and two future picks. Howard played in just 18 games last season after the Magic selected him eleventh overall in the 2023 NBA Draft. With Howard likely seeing a limited amount of playing time in Orlando again next season, that would not be the case in Toronto. As the Raptors continue their rebuild, Howard would likely slot in as the backup small forward, allowing him to see more time on an NBA court. Toronto would also receive a 2025 second-rounder and a 2026 first-rounder in the deal.

Golden State Warriors

Warriors add a new center while Wiggins returns home

After missing the playoffs last season and losing Klay Thompson in free agency, the Golden State Warriors are trying to retool their roster this offseason. They have already signed Kyle Anderson and acquired Buddy Hield in a sign-and-trade with the Philadelphia 76ers .

Another area that the Warriors must address this summer is their starting center. Kevon Looney entered last season as Golden State’s starting center, but the Warriors switched to rookie Trayce Jackson-Davis , who started 16 games toward the end of the year.

Both players are undersized for the position as they are just 6’9″. If the Warriors want to compete with the teams at the top of the West, they have to find a different starting center, and making a deal for Poeltl would help them achieve that.

In this trade, the Warriors would send Andrew Wiggins to the Raptors in exchange for Poeltl and second-round picks in 2026 and 2028. For the Warriors, trading away Wiggins for Poeltl would not only help them add much-needed size to their roster but also free up another $6.7 million in cap space.

With additional space, Golden State could trade for another impact or role player to put next to Stephen Curry and Draymond Green to help the Warriors compete for a championship in the post-big-three era.

For Toronto, they would add Wiggins, who would return to his home country of Canada. With the Raptors still trying to compete, adding Wiggins could help them do just that. Wiggins is still just 29 years old and averaged 13.2 points and 4.5 rebounds last season in the Bay. With the addition of Wiggins, the Raptors would not be a championship favorite, but they could surprise a lot of teams with their young core of players.

Oklahoma City Thunder

With the Oklahoma City Thunder looking like they will be the team to beat in the Western Conference for many years, adding another big man could help them win their first championship since the franchise moved to OKC. Last season, the Thunder finished with the best record in the Western Conference and made it to the second round of the playoffs before being eliminated by the Dallas Mavericks .

Led by MVP runner-up Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Rookie of the Year runner-up Chet Holmgren , the Thunder will be a threat to win a championship in many years. They have already made two huge moves this offseason by trading Josh Giddey to the Chicago Bulls for Alex Caruso and signing free agent Isaiah Hartenstein .

Despite now having two seven-footers in Hartenstein and Holmgren, the Thunder could look to add another by making a deal for Poeltl this offseason.

In this deal, the Thunder would send Jaylin Williams and two future picks to Toronto for Poeltl. With Poeltl coming off the bench, the Thunder would have just enough size to compete with the top teams in the Western Conference while also having enough depth just in case one of the other big men suffered an injury. With their young core, the Thunder have one of the brightest futures in the NBA and are already ready to compete for championships.

For the Raptors, they would receive Williams and two future picks. Williams saw a decrease in minutes last season, and with the addition of Hartenstein, he could see even fewer minutes next year. Williams has shown promise in his limited role, which would improve on a rebuilding Raptors team.

With more minutes, Williams could prove he’s capable of being a key young player for Toronto to build around. Toronto would also receive a 2025 second and 2026 first round pick in the deal.

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