Wednesday noon local time, the San Antonio Spurs confirmed the deal that had already been leaked via ESPN: Austria’s legionary Jakob Pöltl continues his career in the NBA with the San Antonio Spurs. The 22-year-old Viennese is part of a trade with his former club Toronto Raptors.
Pöltl, who is currently on a family holiday in Carinthia, is part of a larger deal: top stars Kawhi Leonard and DeMar DeRozan switchen their clubs. Besides Leonard, Danny Green also moves to Toronto, in exchange San Antonio gets DeRozan, Pöltl and a first-round right of selection in the upcoming NBA draft.
Pöltl only found out about the execution himself on Wednesday afternoon. “My agent informed me this afternoon that the trade is over. At first I was a bit surprised, even though I heard the rumours before. But when the time comes, it’s something else,” explained the Viennese native, who also leaves Toronto with “a little melancholy. “After my draft in 2016, the coaches and my team-mates in Toronto gave me the chance and confidence to gain a foothold in the NBA and develop further as a player,” said Pöltl.
In addition, he felt very comfortable both in the team and in the city and also made some very good friendships. “It’s been two absolutely important and great years that I look back on with great gratitude. On the other hand, the Spurs are a top address and a great new challenge.”
Pöltl is of course well informed about the Texans. “Your organization has a reputation for being one of the best, if not the best in the NBA, and I think I could fit in well with the system. “I’m gonna miss Toronto, but I’m definitely looking ahead.”
For him it was the next step in his career. “I will make every effort to continue my development process in order to support the team in the best possible way and approach the topic with great curiosity and ambition. Pöltl does not know when his first working day will be at the AT&T Center.
“I expect to return to overseas quite soon. On the one hand, the medical checks are due, on the other hand I have to take care of the move and accompanying organisational matters. When the team training starts and what my individual preparation will look like, I will find out first.”
Pöltl completed his first two NBA seasons in Toronto. In the past season, the center played in all 82 games of the regular season, scoring an average of 6.9 points, 4.8 assists and 1.2 blocks. His contract, which the Spurs have to take over, runs for another year and is endowed with almost three million dollars (2.56 million euros) annually. His new club also has the option of another season.
In San Antonio Pöltl finds a team in upheaval. Before Leonard, French playmaker Tony Parker left the five-time champion this summer.
Leonard had asked the club to change after not being available in the five final months of last season due to a thigh injury – and had publicly displayed his dissatisfaction with his situation. Even without the 27-year-old winger, the team of start coach Gregg Popovich reached the playoffs, but lost 4-1 to the later champion Golden State Warriors.
Popovich has been in charge of the Spurs since 1994, and the 69-year-old has helped the Texans to all five of their previous championship titles and is regarded as one of the best in his field. With Power Forward LaMarcus Aldridge, San Antonio has an absolute top man under the basket. Center Pau Gasol is already 38 years old. But Pöltl could learn a lot from the Spaniard, two-time NBA Champion, 2006 World Champion and multiple European Champion.
In the past season the Austrian had taken a big step forward and was one of the mainstays of the second five Raptors, especially on the defensive. They invest their top scorer with DeRozan to bring Leonard to Canada – a high price. The 28-year-old had scored 23 points per game in the pre-season. Toronto was the top team of the regular season in the Eastern Conference. In the playoffa, however, in the second round against the Cleveland Cavaliers came out (0:4). All-Star DeRozan was not convincing.
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