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It doesn't take an NBA rumor mill expert to determine that the San Antonio Spurs are obvious sellers this season as they try and roll out the red carpet for Victor Wembanyama.
Based on a report from Spurs insider LJ Ellis, San Antonio has finally opened up shop once again after closing its doors following the Joshua Primo fallout. One player garnering serious interest is starting center Jakob Poeltl who has turned himself into a rock-solid big man and trade asset on a team going nowhere fast.
The Golden State Warriors and Poeltl's former team the Toronto Raptors are said to be the two strongest pursuers. However, the Spurs' asking price maintains to be rather steep:
“The player that the Spurs get the most inquiries about is Jakob Poeltl. San Antonio’s asking price for Poeltl continues to be a pair of first-round picks with limited protections,” Ellis writes.
“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.”
Ellis also reports that the Warriors are said to be dangling James Wiseman, but the Spurs are said to be uninterested in such a big man swap. The Spurs “aren't high” on Jonathan Kuminga either, with Moses Moody actually being seen as the most valuable asset among Golden State's trio of youngsters. It's hard to imagine the Warriors giving up on their high-end lottery picks this early for an established yet limited center in Poeltl, but he certainly would help solidify their defense in a Western Conference with some serious talent down low.
Both the Warriors and Raptors would need to loosen their grip on draft capital if either hopes to land Jakob Poeltl via trade and bolster their frontline
