NBA free agency 2023: Jakob Poeltl stays with Raptors on 4-year deal

The Toronto Raptors locked up one of their key free agents on Friday, agreeing to a four-year, $80-million deal with centre Jakob Poeltl, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. The deal reportedly includes a player option.

Poeltl averaged 12.5 points, 9.1 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game last season in 72 contests split between the Raptors and San Antonio Spurs. He shot 63% from the field during his 26.5 minutes per night.

Toronto acquired Poeltl from San Antonio at the trade deadline in exchange for Khem Birch, a top-six protected first-round pick in the 2024 NBA Draft and two second-round selections (2023, 2025). The 27-year-old was originally drafted by the Raptors ninth overall in 2016 but was traded to San Antonio in the franchise-defining deal that sent Kawhi Leonard north of the border in the summer of 2018.

The Austrian big man filled a huge need for the Raptors upon his return. The club had been lacking a reliable, impact centre for several seasons and Poeltl stabilized the position at both ends of the floor. Poeltl's acquisition ultimately couldn't get Toronto over the hump in 2022-23, as the team finished ninth in the Eastern Conference and fell to the Chicago Bulls in the play-in tournament.

While Toronto was able to retain Poeltl, the club watched championship-winning point guard Fred VanVleet depart for the Houston Rockets. The Rockets will pay him $130 million over three years. The Raptors quickly pivoted and found a replacement point guard, agreeing to a two-year, $26-million contract with veteran Dennis Schroder.

Toronto also has decisions to make on Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby, both of whom would command hefty returns on the trade market. Siakam is entering the final year of his contract, while Anunoby could opt out of his current agreement after the 2023-24 season.