Raptors’ Wish List: Help for Jakob Poeltl

I bet you could name five different Christmas movies where Santa Claus needs someone’s help to save the holidays. Whether it’s Tim Allen, Elf, or any other memorable character, Santa has required a lot of help this time of year. Or in other cases, someone has had to step in as Santa for a temporary period.

Jakob Poeltl is Santa Claus for the Toronto Raptors.

Their veteran, typically reliable big man, has been dealing with a nagging lower back injury to start the 2025-2026 season. Now, long-term, that isn’t an excellent sign for a player who just inked a 3-year $84M extension until 2030, and if that back doesn’t heal up, the Raptors will have to find a future big man quickly.

But Christmas movies rarely worry about the long-term. We’re never really been concerned about Santa, this big, old, bearded fellow, and how he’ll survive for the next 20 Christmases, just this one.

In many ways, the Raptors need a holiday miracle of sorts when it comes to Poeltl and his back. Without any viable backup option and no genuine young big man prospect (Collin Murray-Boyles is more of a wing), Toronto has to hope Poeltl returns to form quickly. While the Raptors have survived stints and moments without him this season, their overall playoff ceiling is significantly lower without anyone healthy 7 feet or taller.

Perhaps more than any incoming trade idea, the Raptors’ first and foremost hope (or wish, in the spirit of the season) is that Poeltl returns to what he once was. Or else, more uncomfortable questions will persist.

The difficulty of trading for the big-name bigs

The Raptors will search for solutions big and small. But the big-name ones like Anthony Davis, Domantas Sabonis, Ivica Zubac, or even Jarrett Allen will be hard to pull off.

In the case of Davis or Sabonis, you’d have to include more salary on top of Poeltl’s to get a deal done, and that doesn’t even account for the actual added value the Mavericks or Kings would want in addition to that, respectively. Would Poeltl + RJ Barrett + Gradey Dick + A protected 2026 1st round pick (or something along those lines) for Davis or Sabonis really solve any of the Raptors problems or create new ones?

As for Zubac, the Clippers are going to ask for top dollar value for their 28-year-old center. They would likely want two, or even three, firsts to take on the contract of the older, now-injured Poeltl and downgrade.

Trading for Allen is a bit trickier. A one-for-one Allen-for-Poeltl swap works for both teams, money-wise. But if the Cavs are trading Allen, why are they re-acquiring another big man? Which means it’d likely have to be a three-team deal, but that would make things even more complicated because, as a second-apron team, the Cavs can’t bring in more money than they trade out. Finding a suitor who works money-wise and helps rebalance their roster is tough to pull off.

So… replacing Poeltl right now would be tough.

That’s even before mentioning that Jake Fischer reported the Raptors aren’t interested in moving Poeltl at this point and want to add size next to him.

There is one replacement option I haven’t heard discussed much: Nic Claxton.

The Raptors have registered interest in the Brooklyn Nets’ 26-year-old starting centre in the past, and he’s making just $69M over the next three seasons. He’s a good rim protector, ranking in the top 10 in defensive field-goal percentage, allowing opponents to shoot just 56% at the basket when he’s on the floor this season. He’s a solid, if not underwhelming, rebounder, admittedly. Still, his growth on the offensive end, particularly as a passer (and the fact that he’s a legitimate lob threat), makes him a pretty snug offensive fit in Darko Rajakovic’s offensive system.

Poeltl, Ochai Agbaji, a 2026 1st round pick, and two second-round picks could be enough to get it done. If it’s any more than that, I’d pass and hope Poeltl gets healthy.

Mid-tier bigs with a price

Looking down the list, there are a couple of bigs that make about $13-15M this season that the Raptors could and should have interest in: Mavericks big Daniel Gafford and Trail Blazers Centre Robert Williams.

The issue with this salary range for the Raptors is that there isn’t one clear trade candidate. You’d have to either peacemeal your way to $15M by including Agbaji, one of Gradey Dick or Ja’Kobe Walter, along with one of Garrett Temple or Jonathan Mogbo just to make the trade doable. Or you’d have to expand the trade and include one of Barrett or Poeltl, and… well, see above. That creates more problems.

So you’d have to be sure your backup will be the backup big man of the future. And I’m talking trading Terrence Ross and a future 1st round pick for Serge Ibaka levels of sure. While neither Gradey nor Ja’Kobe has popped in the way Ross had for the Raptors when they decided to trade him for their future scarf-wearing championship big man, he didn’t take that ‘next step’ in his career like many Raptors fans had hoped.

If the Raptors decide to move on from one of Gradey or Ja’Kobe, it’ll be because they’ll be betting against their future upside. It’s risky business, and I don’t think that’s worth it for Gafford — who’s a good, steady big man, but no Ibaka.

Much of the same applies to Williams, who is wildly injury-prone and would only exacerbate the Raptors’ health issues at the position.

My pitch here: Instead of going for Gafford, try to see if you could pry away Dereck Lively II from the Mavericks. The 21-year-old big man has been plagued by injuries to start his career. But he’s flashed brilliance when healthy, including in his rookie season, when he was a big part of the Mavericks’ run to the NBA Finals.

Would the Mavs be interested in a Gradey or Ja’Kobe for Lively swap? How much more would have to be added? How low is Lively’s value, given his recent stretch of injuries, and would that, if at all, entice the Mavericks to consider the idea of moving off of him?

Something to consider! However unlikely and unsettling to think about.

The holiday bargain bin

Christmas miracle looking less and less likely, huh?

I know the pragmatic approach doesn’t excite everybody, but there are some good value big men in the market that the Raptors can try and snag, all while ducking under the 1st apron.

Here are some interesting trades, listed from most favourite to least:

Trade #1: Agbaji, Mogbo, and two seconds for Goga Bitadze

Reasoning: The Magic have three good bigs, and Bitadze is the one who often gets the short end of the stick, especially when they’re fully healthy. With Wendell Carter Jr and Mo Wagner in the picture, perhaps Orlando is willing to move off the big man for expiring salary in Agbaji, an intriguing defensive prospect in Mogbo, and some second-round picks. The Raptors would have an All-Georgian backup front-court between Sandro Mamukelashvili and Goga, to add to things.

Trade #2: Agbaji and Mogbo for Moussa Diabate and Mason Plumlee 

Reasoning: Diabate is one of the best offensive rebounders in the league. His size also helps him be a decent enough rim protector in spot minutes. While his offensive game is a work in progress, he’s coordinated enough and big enough to fit in the Raptors’ system. Plumlee would be a break-in case of emergency third backup. A guy who can come in and eat fouls if you’re playing Mitchell Robinson in the playoffs.

Trade #3: Abgaji and 2 seconds for Day’Ron Sharpe

Reasoning: Sharpe, like Diabate, is a very talented rebounder at his position. He’s still a little undersized, but that helps him guard in space more frequently. He’s also a former high school teammate of Scottie Barnes’s. If the Raptors can swoop in and get this deal, it’s an intriguing low-cost trade.

Trade #4: Agbaji and one second for Clint Capela

Reasoning: This is, once again, about roster balance. Capela is not what he once was, but he is still serviceable for 10-15 minutes a night of rebounding, shot-blocking, and the occasional lob. Things become dangerous if Poeltl misses significant time, and you’re forced to play him any more than that.

Trade #5: Agbaji for Paul Reed

Reasoning: B-Ball Paul has fallen out of the rotation for the number 1 seed Detroit Pistons, but he was an impact player for them in their thrilling first-round series versus the New York Knicks. Like Sharpe, Reed is undersized, but he’s a good rebounder, and solid enough defender and finisher for a team desperate to fill the position. Things get dicey if he starts for you consistently, though.

Trade #6: Abaji and one second for Nick Richards

Reasoning: Richards, like Reed, has fallen out of the Phoenix Suns rotation. When Richards has played, he’s shown to be a capable rebounder and has a decent touch around the basket for push shots and whatnot. But he’s not a good defender and is a poor rim protector. I would strive for more if I were the Raptors.

And with all that out of the way, the dust settled, and the picture clearer with tangible possibilities in mind: Maybe this isn’t one of the bigger holiday movies. Perhaps this is just an indie Christmas movie.

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