"Now we all know what happened when the Raptors organization issued an official press release about RJ Barrett's injury last month. It quickly went from Barrett being unavailable for a week to missing fifteen straight games and being out for five weeks, going through plasma injections while on the shelf. Thankfully, Barrett has found his way back into the Raptors mix, working to regain his game speed after a minutes restriction during the game against the Golden State Warriors on December 28."
"The 30-year-old has been struggling with a nagging back injury that has been affecting him for most of the 2025-26 campaign, where he's missed the last four straight games out for Toronto. The news release would mention that Poeltl " will not play for the next week" and that he is " currently completing a program of intensive rehabilitation and strengthening." It would also state that "... he will be reevaluated for a return to play and his status will be updated as appropriate.""
"In the games this season when Toronto has had to go without Poeltl in the lineup, they have gone 7-6. Although Poeltl is a significant part of the Raptors' core, as Darko Rajakovic recently emphasized, the team has still managed to stay somewhat competitive without their only traditional center. However, moments like using Scottie Barnes as the five man in the Warriors game are not sustainable in the long run - Toronto needs true bigs."
On December 29 the Raptors announced Jakob Poeltl will not play for the next week while completing intensive rehabilitation and strengthening for a nagging back injury. The 30-year-old has missed the last four games and the injury has affected him for most of the 2025-26 season. The team indicated he will be reevaluated for a return to play and that his status will be updated as appropriate. Toronto did not announce surgery or a season-ending absence. The Raptors have gone 7-6 in games without Poeltl this season and have remained somewhat competitive without a traditional center, but true bigs are needed long-term.
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