8.02.2024 22:30
(Akt. 8.02.2024 22:40)
Will be throwing in Raptors uniform in the future: Kelly Olynyk ©APA/GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA
The Toronto Raptors of Austria’s basketball export Jakob Pöltl continued to push ahead with their large-scale squad shake-up on transfer deadline day in the North American professional basketball league NBA. Among other things, the Canadians handed over German world champion Dennis Schröder to the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday. In addition, a second deal included Kelly Olynyk, a player from the Utah Jazz who, like Pöltl, can be used as a center.
In addition to Schröder, Toronto also sent veteran Thaddeus Young (35) to Brooklyn in exchange for Spencer Dinwiddie. The deal was primarily aimed at getting Schröder off the payroll. The 30-year-old had signed a two-year contract worth more than 25 million dollars (23 million euros) last summer, but lost his regular place as a playmaker to new acquisition Immanuel Quickley at the turn of the year. The Raptors parted ways with Dinwiddie immediately after the trade. Other teams can now place bids for him.
With Olynyk comes a new center who, unlike Pöltl, does not have his strengths in defense. On offense, the 32-year-old Canadian gives the team from his hometown an additional option with a solid three-point shot. In addition, the 2.11 meter man can relieve Pöltl, the only pure center in the Raptors squad, under the basket. For Olynyk and complementary player Ochai Agbaji, Toronto traded Otto Porter Jr., Kira Lewis and a first-round pick in the upcoming draft to Utah.
The Canadians also made a first-round pick in the 2024 draft last year shortly before the transfer deadline for Pöltl’s commitment from San Antonio. The 28-year-old Viennese then signed a four-year contract worth a total of $78 million (€72 million) with the club in the summer, for which he also made his NBA debut in 2016. Pöltl is now the only player who is still with the Raptors from the starting lineup at the start of the season, alongside Scottie Barnes, who was nominated for next week’s All-Star Game in Indiana.
At the end of December, the Raptors had already traded defensive specialist OG Anunoby to the New York Knicks and, in addition to Quickley, they also received hopeful RJ Barrett. In mid-January, Pascal Siakam, the team’s top scorer, went to Indiana. In return, in addition to Bruce Brown, last year’s champion with Denver, there were primarily young players and draft capital. Toronto is in danger of missing the knockout stages this season. The Pöltl team is currently four wins short of last place in the play-in tournament with a record of 18:33.
2024-02-08 20:24:30
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