This season, San Antonio Spurs big man Jakob Poeltl has emerged as one of the biggest trade assets in the entire NBA. As a 7’1″ defensive star on a team-friendly deal, it’s no surprise that he’s generating so much interest on the trade market.
Interestingly enough, Poeltl also has the option of becoming a free agent this summer, when his three-year, $26.3 million contract expires.
According to the latest report from Marc Stein, the star big man is going to ask for at least $20 million a year this offseason and it could shape how teams look at him leading up to the deadline.
“One more leftover rumble from my recent San Antonio trip: League sources say in-demand Spurs center Jakob Poeltl, who is in the final season of a three-year deal worth $26.3 million, will be seeking a new deal in the $20 million range annually this summer when he hits free agency,” Stein wrote. “The Spurs have been telling teams that they hope to keep Poeltl despite the significant trade interest he’s generating and San Antonio’s obvious dreams of winning the Victor Wembanyama lottery sweepstakes.”
“The list of NBA centers currently making at least $20 million goes only nine deep … and that’s only if we include both Rudy Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns from Minnesota,” wrote Stein. “The others: The Lakers’ Anthony Davis, Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid, Denver’s Nikola Jokić and Phoenix’s Deandre Ayton are all with Gobert and Towns in the $30 million-and-above category; Boston’s Al Horford ($26.5 million), Chicago’s Nikola Vučević ($22 million) and Cleveland’s Jarrett Allen ($20 million) are next in line.”
With averages of 12.2 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game, Poeltl deserves the pay raise he will inevitably get and there’s a good chance he’ll stay with the Spurs if they offer him the contract he wants.
If not, there are plenty of other teams willing and ready to take him in.
Warriors And Raptors Are The Main Trade Suitors For Jakob Poeltl
With about two weeks to go before the deadline, the clock is ticking for any teams hoping to snag Jakob. As it stands, there are two teams (one in each conference) that are leading the pack for his services.
According to a pair of sources, the two teams most persistent about acquiring Poeltl are the Toronto Raptors and Golden State Warriors. The talks with the Raptors date back to last season’s trade deadline, but Toronto remains hesitant to offer anything more than a package highlighted by a single first round draft pick with moderate protections.
The Warriors, on the other hand, are said to be primarily interested in finding a way to flip James Wiseman for Poeltl. However, sources say the Spurs have indicated to the Warriors that they aren’t interested in Wiseman as a centerpiece of a Poeltl trade. I’m also hearing that the Spurs aren’t high on Jonathan Kuminga either, which means a deal with the Warriors will likely only get done if Golden State is willing to part with sufficient draft capital.
The NBA trade scene has been eerily quiet so far, but that could change on a dime.
As names like Myles Turner, John Collins, Bojan Bogdanovic, and Jakob Poeltl continue to get floated around in trade talks, it may only be a matter of time before the first domino finally falls.
Regardless, Jakob is going to get his money. The only question is, will it come from the Spurs or another organization entirely?
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