The Toronto Raptors have pulled off a blockbuster trade, but not the one most people were expecting. They landed talented big man Jakob Poeltl from the San Antonio Spurs, according to ESPN NBA Insider Adrian Wojnarowski.
Of course, within minutes of this trade breaking, the blockbuster of all blockbusters occurred as the Brooklyn Nets traded Kevin Durant to the Phoenix Suns.
The Toronto Raptors are acquiring San Antonio Spurs center Jakob Poeltl for Khem Birch, a protected 2024 first-round draft pick and two future second-round picks, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/9Iz7KFCd20
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 9, 2023
The Raptors receive Poeltl. In exchange they send the rebuilding Spurs forward Khem Birch, a protected 2024 first round pick and two future second round picks.
The Raptors underwhelmed for the better part of the first half of the season. That left most to expect Toronto to move off some of their talented, young pieces. There have been tons of reports that either Fred VanVleet, Pascal Siakam or O.G. Anunoby will be traded prior to Thursday's NBA trade deadline.
Instead, the Raptors made a move to drastically improve, particularly in the paint.
Poeltl is having another very solid season. He is averaging just over 12 points and nine rebounds per game on 62 percent shooting. It is his Poeltl's sixth straight season in his seven-year pro career hitting at least 61 percent of his field goal attempts.
His defensive statistics have taken a slight dip, but that can be attributed to the diminished minutes with the tanking Spurs. Now the 7-foot-1 center from Utah is headed back to the team that drafted him.
The Raptors drafted Jakob Poeltl with the ninth overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft. However, he was dealt to San Antonio following his second season in the league. He will join a starting rotation VanVleet and Gary Trent Jr. as guards and Siakam and Anunoby at forward. That is certainly a formidable starting unit for a team that has played much better after their slow start.
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