"Right after the extension news, I noted that while the cost seems high for what many consider to be a mid-tier center, it was a ' necessary evil' since Toronto's stats show they struggle whenever Poeltl is out. Last season, Toronto went 9-16 in games without Jakob Poeltl, and I vividly remember two matchups against the Memphis Grizzlies where the Raptors were absolutely obliterated, thanks in large part to monster performances by rookie Zach Edey."
"But even with his significant impact in mind, it's difficult for some in the basketball discussion circles to ignore the high cost Toronto paid to keep Poeltl in town. That's exactly what ESPN analysts Brian Windhorst and Tim Bontemps mentioned in a recent episode of The Hoop Collective podcast ( YouTube link here): " That Jakob Poeltl extension, baby... oof," Windhorst said, and Bontemps replied, " No, it's not great.""
Toronto added veteran Garrett Temple, youngsters Collin Murray-Boyles, Alijah Martin, Chucky Hepburn, and underrated big Sandro Mamukelashvili during the offseason. Jakob Poeltl opted into his 2026-27 player option worth $19.5 million and then agreed to a four-year extension totaling $104 million after three additional years were added. The team performed noticeably worse without Poeltl, posting a 9-16 record in games he missed and suffering lopsided defeats such as two matchups against Memphis dominated by rookie Zach Edey. The extension drew criticism for its high price despite Poeltl's clear on-court impact.
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