By Eurohoops Team/ info@eurohoops.net
Starting today, the majority of free agents who signed new contracts past summer are eligible for trade. Even though Jakob Poeltl isn’t among them, he could be an important name leading up to the February 9 trade deadline.
As Yahoo Sports reported, Toronto Raptors are interested in bringing him back, since they traded him to the Spurs along with DeMar DeRozan for Kawhi Leonard in 2018.
He will be an unrestricted free agent in July, for the first time in his career, and is nearing his prime, averaging 12,9 points and 9,9 rebounds after four years with the San Antonio Spurs.
The Canadian team never stopped monitoring his progress and might go for him in the near future. He was previously linked with Boston, but the Celtics are quiet so far.
The other team that had conversations about Poeltl are Chicago Bulls. He was mentioned as a Bull’s target before the last-seasons deadline.
Chicago is one of the teams that might be among the most active until the trade deadline, and the latest information shows Nikola Vucevic could be on his way out.
The experienced Montenegrin center and the Bulls are not negotiating about a contract extension, with the current one expiring in the summer, and Chicago never had significant negotiations to restructure his deal. That might point to a greater trade activity with the Bulls.
Vucevic is averaging 16,3 points and 10,6 rebounds in 27 games this season.
The team from the United center reportedly told inquiring teams that they believe they can reach playoffs if they stay healthy. An 11-16 start to the season, and no new info on Lonzo Ball’s injury status, don’t look that promising.