Jakob Poeltl averaged 12 points a game this season. Credit: Wikimedia Commons / Keith Allison

The San Antonio Spurs fleeced the Toronto Raptors in a Wednesday night trade, sending big man Jakob Poeltl north of the border in exchange for a trio of draft picks as the Silver and Black embark on a lengthy rebuild.

Around midnight, the Spurs traded the 7’1″ center to the Raptors in exchange for a protected 2024 first-round draft pick and two future second-round picks, according to ESPN.

Poeltl only averaged 12 points a game this season but also pulled in around nine rebounds, impressive in a league currently lacking in well-rounded defensive talent.

Although Poeltl is a welcome addition to any franchise, it’s questionable whether the 27-year-old was worth trading away for a three draft picks.

The Spurs now have 13 first-round picks through 2029 and could add more before Thursday’s 2 p.m. trade deadline, with speculation still swirling that Doug McDermott and Josh Richardson could also get the ax — likely in exchange for more picks.

Overall, the future is looking brighter at the AT&T Center.

No, the Spurs won’t win anything this year, next year or maybe event year after. But with so many first-round draft picks and an organization founded on basketball fundamentals, the team could look like the current Boston Celtics in a decade.

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This article appears in Feb 8-21, 2023.

Michael Karlis is a multimedia journalist at the San Antonio Current, whose coverage in print and on social media focuses on local and state politics. He is a graduate of American University in Washington,...