By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
The Toronto Raptors shutting down Jakob Poeltl for the remainder of the 2023-24 Regular Season has emerged as a possibility.
Poeltl, 28, was sidelined indefinitely after surgery to repair a torn ligament in his left pinky. His status was updated following the loss to the New Orleans Pelicans in Scotiabank Arena on Tuesday.
With the team coached by Serbian tactician Darko Rajakovic falling to 23-39 and further behind in the race for the spots leading to the Play-Ins of the Eastern Conference, rushing a return of the Austrian center down the stretch of the Regular Season can become tricky. The distance from the Play-In zone is at 4.5 games with 20 games remaining on the schedule.
The native of Vienna reunited with the Canadian franchise via trade midway through the 2022-23 season and signed a contract extension during the offseason. Over 50 appearances in the ongoing Regular Season, all starts, he averaged 11.1 points, 8.6 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.5 blocks, and 0.7 steals per contest.
After being selected with the ninth overall pick of the 2016 draft out of Utah, his first stint with the Raptors lasted through the 2016-17 and 2017-18 campaigns. Poeltl moved his talents to the San Antonio Spurs between 2018 and 2023.
Replacing him in the starting lineup, Kelly Olynyk went for 15 points, seven assists, and six rebounds in the losing effort against the Pelicans. The Canadian big was acquired via trade in February and penned a multiyear contract extension on Monday.