As the trade of Kawhi Leonard to the Raptors nears completion and is likely to be finalized soon, the LA Clippers should immediately jump back into trade talks with Toronto. They shouldn’t do it for a young player like Collin Murray-Boyles or Jakobe Walter, or even RJ Barrett, who the Raptors’ organization seems to love, but for Jakob Poeltl.
Initially, the Clippers' inquiry about Poeltl may draw some confusion. Why would the front office willingly be open to acquiring arguably the worst contract in basketball? Well, the answer is simple: LA needs picks after five of them were gutted, and they could easily get a valuable first-round pick from the Raptors by agreeing to take on the big man’s expensive salary.
Additionally, Poeltl could be a good piece to have on the team, even if he might be extremely overpaid given the production he brings to the table on both ends of the floor.
Landing Jakob Poeltl and a first is a win-win for the Clippers
On the books, it would certainly hurt to have a near 31-year-old center making $27-plus million over the next three seasons. That is a lot of money that could be spent in a number of better ways for the organization.
However, the key here is to remember the LA Clippers’ motive behind agreeing to roster Jakob Poeltl: the first-round pick he would come with. In the process, the Clippers’ front office should request that the draft capital they receive be near the end, or after their era with Kawhi Leonard, as that’s when it might be most valuable.
On top of the pick, though, Poeltl is by no means a bad center. He’s certainly not worth the top dollar that he is making, but that shouldn’t take away from the fact that he is still a high-end role player.
For context, a season ago, in 2024-25, Poeltl played 57 games and averaged 14.5 points, 9.6 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.2 steals, and 1.2 blocks, shooting 62.7% from the field. Those are great numbers and exemplify an all-around effort from the veteran, which is what the Clippers need in their frontcourt.
That said, the Clippers trading for Poeltl after the Kawhi Leonard move inevitably gets processed is ideal, no matter how you look at it. Bringing him in would add a draft pick the front office needs and provide the team with a more serviceable center than Brook Lopez.
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