There is no end in sight to Jakob Poeltl’s “running backwards problems”.
The The Toronto Raptors were pleasant surprise so far in the 2025-26 NBA season, currently at 28-19 ahead of Sunday’s road game against the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Raptors are without a big man Jakob Poeltl in recent weeks due to a back problem, and on Sunday the team received an update that was not exactly positive.
“Raptors say Jakob Poeltl remains without a defined recovery timetable as he deals with ‘ongoing back issues,'” NBA insider Marc Stein reported on X, formerly Twitter.
The Raptors it was announced that Poeltl “returned to Toronto and received targeted treatment for pain relief. A return timeline has not yet been determined, and his status will be updated once he returns to practice.”
Poeltl last played in a game in late December against the Brooklyn Nets, leaving that game during the first quarter.
All in all, it remains to be seen how Poeltl’s injury issues may or may not affect the Raptors’ strategy at the upcoming NBA trade deadline. Toronto is considered by many to be buyers, not sellers, in the trade market, with a number of high-profile names being linked to the franchise over the past few weeks.
If Poeltl is going to be out for an extended period of time, it would certainly make sense for the Raptors’ front office to consider adding some frontcourt depth. Even if Poeltl was healthy, the center position was probably the weakest on the depth chart for Toronto, and could certainly use an upgrade.
Still, the Raptors have to love where they are at this point in the season. Last year’s Brandon Ingram trade turned out to work well for the franchise, and the team is also seeing solid contributions from role players like RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley.
Either way, the Raptors and Thunder will tip off at 7:00 PM ET.
2026-01-25 16:58:00
