NBA Trade Rumors: Spurs Have 'Less Urgency' to Deal Jakob Poeltl?

As the NBA approaches the trade deadline, the San Antonio Spurs have to decide whether they view center Jakob Poeltl as a trade piece or a franchise cornerstone.

The San Antonio Spurs are two weeks away from the NBA trade deadline and the team has to make some big decisions regarding its best assets.

Topping the list of big decisions is what the team will do with Jakob Poeltl.

Poeltl ranks No. 6 on The Athletic's NBA Trade Deadline Big Board, but the Spurs may not be as keen to deal him as they once were.

"There appears to be less urgency for the San Antonio Spurs to trade the 27-year-old Austrian center because both sides appear open to a new contract this summer," The Athletic writes. "Based on current reporting, that has led to a high asking price of multiple first-round picks, though the Spurs could easily reduce that over the next few weeks. The bigger question is where Poeltl fits in the center hierarchy, as he has been a consistently strong rim protector before this season but has been below that standard this season. If he gets back to that defensive foundation and maintains the offensive growth we have seen, Poeltl will be a valuable center either in San Antonio or elsewhere."

Poeltl has averaged 12.1 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game this season.

Last season Poeltl ranked 6th in the NBA amongst centers when it came to defensive field goal percentage allowed, meaning that he was one of the most challenging centers to score on in the entire league. This season, however, his block average per game has decreased by 0.5, and his plus-minus has cratered from +117 to -190.

In a league abuzz due to fanbases infatuated with 7'2 French center and NBA Draft prospect Victor Wembanyama, the Spurs, who currently have the fourth-worst record and third-youngest roster in the league with an average age of 23.8, opting to resign the 27-year-old Poeltl would be a peculiar development indicative of the team not fearing a logjam at the five position or focusing on the timeline of their roster. 

What the Spurs ultimately decide to do with Poeltl by the NBA trade deadline on February 9 will signal the direction they see the franchise moving toward in the future.

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You can follow Isaiah DeAnda Delgado on Twitter @IsaiahDDelgado.

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