Welcome to the Spurs, Jakob Poeltl!

[Denisaur9]

Pop's gonna hate him based on how foul prone he is. Remember Mahinmi? Spurs 1st rounder that never settled into a consistent role in SA because of his dumb fouls. He also has an issue with defensive rebounding leading me to believe his positioning is extremely poor. This is a sign that he's really raw and possibly has low bball IQ(he does look kinda derpy). Bad pickup if Pop is gonna have to waste his last two years babysitting someone that should have gotten his stuff together in college or Europe.

You gotta differentiate between making dump fouls and getting bad calls. In Jakob's case it is most likely the second option.

I wouldn't say, he is a bad rebounder either. Jakob has recorded a few Double-Doubles last season (as a Bench Player!) He is still lacking a bit on mass/weight. Thats, why he sometimes gets "pushed around" in the paint by stronger bigs.

Im convinced, that he will prove you wrong and develop into an important piece for the Spurs Franchise.

Bad calls? C'mon dude, that's a weak excuse. EVERY rookie gets bad calls - it's almost a rite of passage in the NBA for the officials to be extra harsh on the newcomers. The good players learn from this and adapt quickly. Jakob's fouls per 36 mins has decreased from 6.5 to 5 in his sophmore season, which is a good sign. Sucked in the playoffs though - right back up to 6.5 pf per 36.

I never said he was a bad rebounder. His offensive rebounding is good - a result of his high energy play I assume. I specifically mentioned his defensive rebounding. For a guy his size, he shouldn't be struggling with something as automatic as defensive boards.

Do you like to be argumentative or just ignorant? Everything you say is wrong. Clearly you don't watch much basketball or have the basic knowledge of the sport. Jakob is very well thought of.

He played a big role on a 59 win team last year. Pop and RC Buford know way more then you do and that's a fact, there a reason why they want wanted these guys vs packages from Philly or L.A. or Boston.

Derozan and Jakob are both high character and great work ethic, have improved every year and great teammates.

Watch some film. Spurs did well.

Sent from my LG-H812 using RealGM mobile app

[FluLikeSymptoms]

Gonna miss Jak. Big fan. Great feet, hands, brains, timing, motor. Give him back.

[Kabookalu]

One thing that hasn't been mentioned yet is that the player Jakob idolized is Pau Gasol. Would be really cool if Gasol took him under his wing to show him the ropes. I've always thought Poeltl could have been that PF/C like Gasol was for the Lakers. He's done a great job of staying in front of some of the best wing players in the league when he got switched out on them, namely Durant and numerous all star guards. He is incredibly light on his feet.

Offensively he is limited, but I think he does have a solid base of skills to play PF, they're just not advanced enough to pull it out in an NBA game, but there's potential. In an exhibition game a couple years ago between Austria and Lithuania, Yak actually played PF, and he looked fantastic. He was spotting up from 3, and had a pull up jumper from the foul line. I remember there was a video of it, I'll see if I can dig it up.

[Kabookalu]

Decided to do it myself since I was in the drivers seat of having Poeltl play PF since he came to Toronto, and always meant to make this video, but decided not to since the idea of Casey playing him there seemed fruitless.

I was mistaken on the pull up shot from the foul line, he flashed to the elbow instead.

https://streamable.com/7xtjj

The defense on Valanciunas' drive I thought was especially important to note, because I've never seen JV get stopped on a drive after making his man bite on his pumpfake by a center. He has been stopped before, but only if it was from a super mobile PF or a guard. If a center bit on his pumpfake though, that was an automatic drive and dunk to the rim. Jakob however stopped him.

This workout video is also a nice companion piece:

Watch on YouTube

[AustrianHamm3r]

Highlights (Last Season)

Watch on YouTube

[CoachD]

Outstanding young big. Spurs fans will love Yak

[Jstock12]

This is a sign that he's really raw and possibly has low bball IQ(he does look kinda derpy)

It's like you're trying to discredit yourself.

[Ballings7]

Really like the looks of Poeltl. Very good overall size, quite agile, and seems to have a nice feel for the game already. He'll be enhanced and progress quicker here.

[Latrell]

Poeltl is very athletic and has great length.

He’s got DPOY potential and is the better part of this trade imo

[North_of_Border]

I thought the Spurs would have asked for Pascal Siakam or OG Anunoby. These seem like Spurs type of prospects and have bigger ceilings.

But Poetl is solid. Just not a star.

Sent from my HTC Desire 728 dual sim using RealGM mobile app

[HitTheJ]

Jakob is the real steal of this trade.

[FluLikeSymptoms]

He’ll start as a smallball-proof C for 10 years.

[G R E Y]

Jakob Poeltl sees big opportunity to shine with Spurs, picks new jersey number

Drafted in the first-round of the 2016 NBA Draft, Poeltl has played two-seasons in the NBA, with career averages of 5.4 points and 4.1 rebounds.

Now he's hoping a new team will get him the best chance to shine in an interview with German site Laola1.

"But the more I think about it, the more I can see it as an opportunity," explained [Poeltl]. "With San Antonio, I'm definitely with a great team. The chance for more minutes, a bigger role, whatever, is definitely there, and the chance to play under a great coach in a great organization is here. Now, all I have to do is make the most of it, and it will turn out how far it really is a step forward."

Jakob comes into San Antonio with much up-side and high-expectations....

"The Spurs have a very good squad," said Pöltl. "[Y]ou have seen in the past with the Spurs that nothing is given to you."

"He (Gregg Popovich) has said that it will be hard work, that I definitely have to go full throttle, because they expect a lot from me for the future and see a lot in me," said Pöeltl.

Outside of a new team, conference, teammates and a new head coach, Poeltl will also be looking for a new jersey number....

"It will probably be 25," said Jakob.

https://news4sanantonio.com/sports/jakob-poeltl-sees-big-opportunity-to-shine-with-spurs-picks-new-jersey-number

It's nice to see Jakob getting a bit of the spotlight.

Read on Twitter

He's an understated part of the deal, but I think he will have a good impact for us.

[SharoneWright]

Highlights (Last Season)

Watch on YouTube

There must be at least 30 more of these. Dude ain't no Euro stiff.

[First Step]

A lot of people are focusing on Demar DeRozan, while Jakob is being considered a throw-in by many. As a Raptors fan I've got to see plenty of Jak's games, and the data supports this claim.

Jakob Poeltl will become what Steven Adams is today. They are very similar players. Comparing advanced stats from their first few seasons in the league show almost identical stats which supports the eye test.

He is not an all star, but he's also not a career back up like Spurs fan Skip Bayless is whining about. They are both identical players. Jakob isn't soft, he's just not big enough yet to really have the presence that Adams has. When Jak is 26, he will be a very good piece, and you should be excited about him.

[imagump1313]

I have to be honest, I haven't watched much of him. But you are not the first Raptor fan that has raved about him so I am excited to see him play and how we use him. Contrary to what Philly fans think, our FO isnt stupid so I'm sure Pop and Buford didn't think he was just a throw-in.
Besides Dedmon who played pretty well for us, we haven't really had an athletic big for awhile.

[PhilBlackson]

I have to be honest, I haven't watched much of him. But you are not the first Raptor fan that has raved about him so I am excited to see him play and how we use him. Contrary to what Philly fans think, our FO isnt stupid so I'm sure Pop and Buford didn't think he was just a throw-in.
Besides Dedmon who played pretty well for us, we haven't really had an athletic big for awhile.

Whatever "fans" are downplaying Yak don't know a thing about him.

He has great defensive instincts (hence his high block rate), good bball IQ and just seems to know where to be at the right time. Despite what some poster said in here about his fouls being a reflection of his bball IQ, he couldn't be more further off...it may sound ridiculous but it is actually true that refs seemed to be incredibly unfair to him on plenty of occasions. After a while it became a running joke(s) on our board how fouls would happen on court and would be issued to Poeltl when he was on the bench because it was baffling sometimes the calls he would get against him.

You can see around 1:30 - 3:20 mark (2:40 is a perfect example of the garbage calls he would get from refs) and then again at 5:20 onwards (***which you really should watch***) what his defense is like, very smart kid, knows where to be and as you can see is instructing others and calling out where to be...

Watch on YouTube

He's a very deceptively quick/fast big man with pretty damn good hops believe it or not which is what makes him great for switching or helping weak side etc. Where he has to improve is his jumper. His mechanics aren't fluid just yet so most of his play is finding him on the blocks or rolling in the PnR for now.

Personally gonna really, really miss his defense next to Siakam, you got a good one.

#6willmisstheAustrianHammer
#sorryabouttheavbtw

[G R E Y]

Read on Twitter

Read on Twitter

Read on Twitter

[G R E Y]

Read on Twitter

Read on Twitter

DeRozan playing with chip on shoulder a 'scary' prospect, Poeltl says

The Spurs introduced Poeltl to local media Thursday at their practice facility, and much of the conversation centered on the 7-foot Austrian offering a scouting report of DeRozan.

One point Poeltl emphasized is that it would be wrong to think of the four-time All-Star guard as just a scorer.

"The great thing about him is what he has learned over these past few years, especially last year," Poeltl said. "He is really good about making reads now and taking over a game and (knowing) when to take over a game. Everyone knows he can take over a game and score 30, 40 points, but then you have games where the defense adjusts to him and he finds his teammates."

Indeed, DeRozan averaged a career-best 5.2 assists last season while averaging 23.0 points. In 2016-17, he averaged 3.9 assists and 27.3 points.

While Poeltl is glad that he and DeRozan are still teammates, he hasn't wasted any time getting to know his new comrades.

"Obviously, it helps to have a familiar face, a guy that I have played with over the last few years," Poeltl said. "I know how he plays basketball. He knows me. I think we play well together. But, at the same time. I have been here almost two weeks now, working out with these guys that I have never really played with before, and it was like really easy. I think there is at least for me so far, a natural chemistry. I am getting along with everybody on the court and off the court."

More to come soon on Poeltl hoping to take full advantage of the Spurs' renowned player-development staff.

https://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/spurs/article/DeRozan-playing-with-chip-on-shoulder-a-scary-13161310.php

[G R E Y]

Solid first interverview with Jakob. He comes across as down-to-earth and comfortable in his own skin. Sounds like he's fitting right in already. Can't wait to see him develop with us!

Watch on YouTube