Toronto Raptors centre Jakob Poeltl (19) and Chicago Bulls forward Patrick Williams (44) battle during second half NBA basketball action in Toronto on Wednesday, April 12, 2023.The Raptors have made one of their big off-season moves official by announcing that Poeltl has signed a multi-year contract with the NBA club. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn
TORONTO – The Toronto Raptors have made the signings of centre Jakob Poeltl and forward Jalen McDaniels official.
The players were introduced by the Raptors on Thursday after a week of speculation that they had signed with the team as free agents.
Media reports had indicated that Poeltl signed a multi-year contract to stay with Toronto after he was acquired from the San Antonio Spurs before last season’s trade deadline.
Financial terms of the deal were not discussed, but reports last week had the contract at US$80 million over four years.
The seven-foot-one Austrian averaged 12.5 points, 9.1 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.2 blocks and 26.5 minutes in 72 games (71 starts) with San Antonio and Toronto last season.
McDaniels also agreed to a multi-year deal.
The six-foot-nine forward averaged 9.4 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 23.9 minutes in 80 games (24 starts) with the Charlotte Hornets and Philadelphia 76ers last season.
Poeltl was selected ninth overall by the Raptors in 2016, becoming the first Austrian player in league history.
He was traded to the Spurs before the 2018-19 season in the deal that sent Kawhi Leonard to Toronto, and was reacquired by the Raptors at last year’s trade deadline for a Khem Birch, a first-round pick in 2024 and second-round picks in 2023 and 2025.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 6, 2023.
