The Philadelphia 76ers seek talent in 2017 NBA Draft. Should team consider prying disappointing Jakob Poeltl from Toronto Raptors for 2nd Round Pick?
Win Win scenarios are hard to find in the modern NBA. Typically, two teams are both competing for the same result, albeit via differing strategies. So when the Philadelphia 76ers seek to improve team depth at center by entering trade discussions with the Toronto Raptors, most pay the concept no heed and simply move on to other topics.
But in this case, there is plenty TO discuss, and therefore, plenty TO consider. You see, the Toronto Raptors selected Utah center Jakob Poeltl with the ninth pick of the 2016 NBA Draft. After that, it has been all downhill for the rookie center.
#Raptors’ Jakob Poeltl a bust, says respected analyst https://t.co/drqrMhTAWd via @raptorsrapture pic.twitter.com/IDpN9LP0Vl
— FanSided NBA (@FanSidedNBA) June 1, 2017
Poeltl Underwhelms
The NBA draft is no sure-thing. Poeltl was selected from a perceived deep class at the center position, and was the consensus front runner in that class. But sometimes, the talent level of the class is a lower tide than other years. While Poetl wowed pundits in 2016, the 2016 class overall was not particularly talented nor deep.
In his rookie campaign, Poeltl appeared in 54 games with four starts. Despite some early season looks, Poeltl never seemed to get comfortable on the Raptors. He averaged just 11.6 minutes, 3.1 points, 3.1 rebounds, .4 blocks, .2 assists and .3 steals per game.
But for a top ten prospect, that simply didn’t deliver nearly the production hoped for by the Raptors.
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Why Now, Why Philadelphia?
The Philadelphia 76ers are about to climb into relevancy this season. In fact, the roster already supports the probability of the team threatening to make the NBA playoffs this year. But there are still roster spots to address. One such area is the center position. The position came up in December 2016 as a potential need. That same center position resurfaced in May 2017 as a position of need for the second round picks.
But the news about Raptors Jakob Poeltl offers another option for the team. Should the Philadelphia 76ers pursue a trade with the Raptors for Poeltl? The Raptors are a team with immediate needs for production. Poeltl needs time to develop, and the Philadelphia 76ers are very well equipped to do so.
Brian Broake of Raptors Rapture does not see much value in calling the rookie center a bust, and I tend to agree with him. But I don’t believe he develops after the frightful rookie season he’s just endured in Toronto either.
New Setting Needed
The 76ers pulled a disappointing Nik Stauskas away from the Sacramento Kings in a 2015 Trade. That was just a year after the Kings selected Stauskas with the eighth pick of the 2014 NBA Draft.
Center Jakob Poeltl is a 7-foot-0 230 pound center who has played, however poorly, on an NBA playoff team. While that poor experience is discouraging to the Raptors, it does offer the same level of discouragement to the Philadelphia 76ers. At least, it shouldn’t.
Poetl is as solid of a center as any second round prospect in this draft when you factor in certainty. And if the team is committed to trade center Jahlil Okafor for the best offer available, Poetl would be a solid roster addition.
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