Jakob Poeltl Reveals How He Will Evaluate His Spurs Future

Jakob Poeltl is entering the final season of his three-year, $26.3 million contract. How long will he remain with the San Antonio Spurs?

The San Antonio Spurs have more difficult decisions to make and situations to navigate as they proceed with a rebuilding effort. It quickly becomes important to determine who will and won't be factored into long-term plans.

Perhaps atop the list of Spurs players to focus on in the near future is Jakob Poeltl. Given he will be 27-years-old and is entering a contract year ahead of the start of the 2022-23 campaign, will he factor into the Spurs' long-term plans? Will he desire to remain in San Antonio?

"It's possible that I'll stay with the Spurs for the rest of the year," Poeltl told Austria's APA. "From the current perspective, the chances are very good that I will play for the Spurs next season."

While Poeltl isn't a 3-point shooter or a flashy scorer, he provides a strong impact as a traditional center. He's coming off a strong 2021-22 campaign with averages of 13.5 points, 9.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.7 blocks while shooting 61.8 percent from the floor.

"My game has always not been based on scoring the most points, but on trying to be as effective as possible in helping the team win," Poeltl said. "That's what counts. Especially for teams that really want to play for a championship."

There have been various trade rumors involving Poeltl in recent years, especially after the start of the Spurs' rebuilding efforts. In fact, many outsiders feel it's more likely than not that he'll be on the move in the near future. 

"Yes, I was quite aware that it wasn't far away, or at least, there were a lot of requests," Poeltl said.

In terms of potential trade suitors, there are plenty of teams still in need of a stable center option. Teams such as the Charlotte Hornets, Toronto Raptors, Brooklyn Nets, and Chicago Bulls stand out as intriguing landing spots.

It appears unlikely for Poeltl and the Spurs to get a contract extension done considering they are limited to offering just 120 percent of his near $9.4 million salary for the first-year of his next contract — well below his projected market value. 

It remains to be seen how much longer Poeltl will remain a member of the Spurs. Handing a contract extension early in a rebuild to a player who will be 28 at the start of the 2023-24 season with a relatively limited ceiling may not be ideal. Especially if there's a chance Poeltl departs in free agency next summer.

"I will take a close look at the situation next summer, whether it makes sense or not," Poeltl said.

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You can follow Grant Afseth on Twitter at @GrantAfseth.

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