TORONTO 鈥� The glue of the Toronto Raptors is sticking around for another four years.
Jakob Poeltl and the Raptors announced on Tuesday that the centre had signed a multiyear contract extension. Financial details were not disclosed, but multiple outlets reported the deal is worth US$104 million over four years.
The 29-year-old from Austria averaged a career-high 14.5 points and 9.6 rebounds, along with 1.2 blocks and 1.2 steals in 57 regular-season games for Toronto last season. He also shot 62.7 per cent from the field, ranking fifth in the NBA among qualified players.
"I just felt more comfortable being more aggressive in different types of situations," said Poeltl at his end-of-season media availability in April. "I think that shows on the stat sheet, like offensively, where I was taking a lot more shots, and I was, I think, more involved in an active sort of way.
"In the past, I was maybe more of a passive piece of our offence where I would help other guys get shots, but this year, I felt like I had more opportunities and I was more comfortable attacking it head-on."
Poeltl, a first-round pick (ninth overall) by the Raptors in the 2016 NBA draft, was traded to the San Antonio Spurs with DeMar DeRozan in the Kawhi Leonard deal back in 2018. Poeltl was then traded back to the Raptors in 2023 and signed to a four-year, $78 million contract.
鈥淭oronto has always felt like home for me 鈥� I want to be a Raptor for life," Poeltl said in a release. "Thanks to (general manager Bobby Webster) and team ownership for believing in me, and to the fans for their amazing support.
"We have a young core that鈥檚 full of potential and I believe we鈥檙e ready to take the next step. I can鈥檛 wait to get together back on the Scotiabank Arena court."
The seven-foot, 245-pound Poeltl has averaged 8.9 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 595 career games. Point guard Immanuel Quickley, Poeltl's main pick-and-roll partner, praised the big man at his media availability in April.
"Playing with great players is easy. Jakob's another great player," said Quickley. "He makes my job easier because he gets you so many easy free assists and he's always in the right spots.
"His push shot is one of the best in the league. Defensively, he covers for a lot of mistakes that we have on defence. It's great playing with Jakob."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 8, 2025.
John Chidley-Hill, The Canadian Press
