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Dante Exum was coming off an injury-plagued season in which he had only played 14 games. Dario Saric, Jakob Poeltl and Juancho Hernangomez signed while the league was still in the middle of figuring out COVID. Coming off the bubble, some players took what money they could while they could. Isaiah Jackson signed when coming off a torn Achilles’ tendon. The major takeaway here: Restricted free agency isn’t necessarily preventing players from getting paid. But it is preventing players from changing teams. Which is kind of the idea! Overall, restricted free agency can be tough on players. It seems to be getting tougher on players. But there have been adjustments. In our four-year sample size under the current CBA, only 24 players out of 120 have reached restricted free agency. That means that extensions are happening at a greater rate than ever. That’s in addition to teams cutting loose players they aren’t going to extend or re-sign.
The Kings nearly traded Domantas Sabonis to the Toronto Raptors at the deadline in February -- a move he would've welcomed, a source with knowledge of the situation said -- for a package that included RJ Barrett, but the Raptors were unable to get off the three-year, $84 million remaining on Jakob Poeltl's contract, which doomed the deal.
Poeltl has also most commonly been packaged with his teammate RJ Barrett in outgoing deals, as Toronto fans have used their combined 2026-27 salary of $49.1 million to go star-hunting in our trade machine. Overall, 84.4 percent of theoretical Poeltl trades in our trade machine have included Barrett.
NBA sources I’ve spoken with have connected the Raptors to Bucks centre Myles Turner, with the possibility that Raptors centre Jakob Poeltl, third-year wing Gradey Dick and potentially draft compensation being the core of a deal that would net Toronto the veteran big with credentials as a rim protector and three-point threat.
Darren Wolfson: "I just I've always come to the conclusion, if Rudy Gobert is playing 30 to 35 minutes a night, you're not winning a championship. I've thought that for years, I continue to think that, but he's an incredible floor raiser. Like if you're Charlotte, he would be great. If you're New Orleans, think about hiring defensive-minded head coach Jamal Mosley. What about New Orleans for Gobert? Toronto. They were good, but Jakob Poeltl, like no. Toronto's had interest in Gobert for a while. Chicago too, but I don't know exactly what Chicago's thinking, they just hired a new front office. But like you can trade Rudy Gobert."
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Josh Lewenberg: Webster says Poeltl was behind the 8-ball with the back injury in camp. Message to him going into summer was to get healthy & get back to last season's form. "He's high IQ, high instincts, people know what he means to this team when he's at his best...We'll be on him this summer"
As an example, leading up to trade deadline in February, the Raptors were working hard to try and make a deal that would land them Jaren Jackson Jr. from the Memphis Grizzlies before he was ultimately traded to the Utah Jazz in a package that included three first round picks, according to multiple league sources. The sticking point was finding someone to take on Jakob Poeltl’s four years and $104 million the 30-year-old has owed to him.
William Lou: "Me personally, I think Jakob was unbelievable for us. Yak helps me in so many different ways ... He's instrumental for our team and we need him" Scottie Barnes comes to Jakob Poeltl's defense
Josh Lewenberg: Rajakovic wouldn't commit to a starting C for tomorrow's Game 3. "I don't know. I've got a lot of time to think about that."
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Josh Lewenberg: Both Jamal Shead and Jakob Poeltl mentioned effort being an issue. Jak on how effort can be lacking in playoffs: “It’s not for a lack of trying. It’s more knowing when to be aggressive, when to stick to our schemes. I think we were a bit discombobulated… We have to play more within our character”
Josh Lewenberg: Jamal Shead will play his 82nd game of the season today. He's the first Raptor to play 82 since Jakob Poeltl in 2017-18. Shead also led Toronto in games played (75) as a rookie second-rounder last year & didn't miss a single game due to injury in his 4-year collegiate career at Houston
Josh Lewenberg: And we have our answer. Poeltl is out tonight for injury management. Quickley will also miss the game in Utah with plantar fasciitis in his right foot. CMB is questionable.
