The Golden State Warriors boast a respectable frontcourt, but adding another low-post weapon couldn’t hurt.
An undervalued Toronto Raptors center could be suiting up for the Warriors later this season.
“While the Warriors’ center rotation of Kevon Looney and Trayce Jackson-Davis—and sometimes Draymond Green—is productive, it’s also not all that multifaceted,” Last Word on Sports’ Isaiah Usher wrote Monday.
“Amid a career year, the cost of Jakob Poeltl could be surprisingly steep, but if the Warriors can stomach it, he’d be well worth it.”
“Despite playing in his ninth year in the NBA, the veteran center is taking his game to new heights. In a career-high 32.5 minutes per game, Poeltl is averaging career bests in ppg, rpg, and ft%.”
“Poeltl also would provide the Warriors with some much-needed size. It’s hard to imagine the Warriors surviving as legitimate contenders out West without a legitimate 7-footer on their roster.”
“No disrespect to the center combination of Kevon Looney and Trayce Jackson-Davis, but Poeltl would be a significant upgrade on both ends of the floor.”
“Poeltl is certainly a dark-horse option for the Warriors, but he is someone who could add immense value with his basketball IQ, toughness, and interior passing.”
The Raptors are 13 games below .500, but Poeltl is quietly having an impressive year in Toronto.
As a below-the-rim athlete who’s one of the most fundamentally sound big men in the league, Poeltl averages 15.9 and 11.3 rebounds per contest on 59.3% from the field.
The 7-foot center suffered a left groin injury during the Raptors’ Monday night clash against the Bulls, but it’s reasonable to assume Poeltl will return to the hardwood this year.
With Brandin Podziemski struggling to rekindle the magic he experienced as a rookie, the Warriors may attempt to swap him for Poeltl during the trade season.
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