Jakob Poeltl: “I want to compete as soon as possible” and gives his respect to Masai Ujiri

Jakob Poeltl: “I want to compete as soon as possible” and gives his respect to Masai Ujiri

uh resigned. Uh yeah, fixed stand. No, at the end of the day, it was um the negotiations weren’t really easy. Um it was one of those things where like when I came back here uh I yeah kind of tried to buy into this process and I I went into it with the mindset like I want to stay here long term like as long as um the team and I feel like my fit with the team was was right like I was I was planning on staying here and and I think we’ve really tried to build something here over the last like year and a half two years um that’s yeah a little bit different and um I’ve been enjoying the process So, uh, yeah. I mean, it’s dramatically different from what it was when you got here. And was there a moment in that last 12 months where you said, “Uh, wait, what’s going on right here?” I mean, I it definitely was one of those things where like when I when I came back after the trade, I was I was looking forward to being on a team that was trying to compete and like was trying to make a run, but obviously that that project didn’t work out for us. Um and then we had this moment where um yeah, we’re trying to start something new and um obviously with Darko and the the whole new coaching staff coming along like there was this moment of like conversation like hey what’s going on like what does the future look like? But those conversations went well like the the first year like obviously like on the court it it didn’t look that great but um for us like in practice the way we were trying to build something was was good and I felt comfortable with so that’s why I I stuck with it. Was it comfortable for you or did you need to see like something like the Brandon trade that shows that, you know, we’re trying to not go super fast but speed things up a bit and get back to, you know, competing and trying to get up the standings. Like, was that important to you or or was that nothing? I mean, the the way we do it is honestly um I mean it’s not really my um area of of expertise or like what what really concerns me, but I think it’s a good sign like for me obviously like looking for a contract extension. The fact that the front office is going out there and really trying to make moves to get us better right now um is a good sign for me because I I want to compete obviously as as soon as possible. So um in that sense, yes. But it’s not like I I needed them to make moves for me to be happy here. Um, yeah. Your relationship with Mazai goes back to 2016. How do you feel now that he’s not a lot around? Like that long connection with you here? Yeah, I mean that was a little bit of a crazy moment. I I didn’t expect that. Um, but uh yeah, obviously like I have a really good relationship with Masai. Like he was the one that first drafted me and um also in coming back um from the trade here and like honestly both contract extensions like he was a a big part of. So, um, it’s, yeah, I mean, it’s sad to see him go. Um, I think he’s done a lot of great things here with the Raptors. So, uh, we’re definitely going to miss him, but I think we also have some other, um, really good guys, like talented guys that can, um, pick up the slack there and and hopefully, yeah, um, it will just run smooth, like seamlessly into the future. Where were you when you found out? I was in Toronto, actually. I was working out um, with a couple of the coaches and, um, they they got the message like midworkout. So, um, yeah, a little bit of a crazy moment. And, and did it, I mean, you hadn’t signed at that point. Did it kind of did you kind of get on the phone with your second going on here? Do I need to what do I need to know? Or I mean um like obviously there was an extra conversation there like, hey, does this like change anything like what’s what’s going on? Like what’s the the deal with with our future? But, um, honestly, at the end of the day, like it didn’t change much. The um and you know, what about this process? I mean, you you we talked again last season, you’re watching these young guys develop just even obviously it’s just a summer league game, but just seeing what these uh some of these developing players are working towards, does it give you encouragement? What’s your take on? It’s very cool to see. I think I mean that’s like the perfect environment for them to kind of flourish there because like they’ve kind of built this chemistry over over the the last season and got a bunch of playing time on on the NBA court and really going out there in the summer league and can really show that off. It’s is really cool to see. It’s it’s like the I guess the fruits of your lab are paying off in a way. Um obviously like now you have to do it on an NBA court. Um it’s a little bit of a different stage, but um this is the a good opportunity for us to really get the ball rolling for these young guys to to really show off what they got and and for us to see um yeah, who can really help us, we can push it. And as as a vet, too, look at them and go like, okay, there’s a little bit more than maybe outside people are giving credit to. Oh, definitely. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, like it’s one game so far, so like um hopefully they can keep it up, but um even going back the end of last season. Yeah. Yeah. No, it’s it’s it’s definitely encouraging to see and I think um uh yeah, like I said, I’m I’m hoping that um these guys can really make a push for us and and bring some of that energy into next season. Obviously, you know, you’ve been around long enough, you were part of the original benchmark. People are already sort of thinking about, you know, can this be a second iteration of that? And you guys are obviously very successful. Um do you remember sort of the steps that it took to get to that success? I remember even in summerly there was a there was a year where you guys were really good. You, Fred, Pascal Moore together. I mean, honestly, it was a really similar situation. I I think because I guess it was stretched out over like two years, but we had a bunch of young guys coming in like um playing summer league together and then me, Fred, Pascal played again the the the year after. And I guess the the first season, my rookie season plus the summer, um all that like time together, like all the the workouts that we spent together really helped build that chemistry. So, I’m hoping it’s doing the same thing for them. Uh yeah. I I’m I’m pretty confident that uh they can get something going there. Do you think RJ will move the ball? A lot of money. Uh I mean R.J. I love R.J. cuz I’m really the only guy he’s passing the ball to. So Wow. Uh so we can keep that going. You were talking yesterday on the broadcast about how excited you are to be a part of this group next season and sort of not being able to play with everybody already, but knowing that there’s a talent level to everything that you guys want to build. um what what do you have to do this summer with the group to kind of get ready for next season chemistry-wise and getting fine-tuning the things on the court? I mean, it’s I think it’s just a gradual process. Like I think we started with like the very basics when Darko first came here and then with like this past season we’re starting to fine-tune things and like the more time we get under our belt, the more we can get into the nitty-gritty details um like um what offensive scheme like we should maybe like reconfigure a little bit. like there’s like these tiny little details when it comes to timings and um figuring out what everybody’s strengths are in certain situations. So, we really get dialed into knowing, okay, he wants the ball here, like this is the right timing for that play, like all these kinds of things. And I think they just come with time and like obviously you got to be mindful of it. Like you got to put the like your brain to work, but um I think yeah, like I said, just the more reps we can get, the the better that’s going to work out. Did you Did you overlap with Sandro and San Antonio at all? Uh, no, no, no. What do you make of Sandro and even like the options to go small behind you at center? Like how do you envision sort of that position? I think I mean like a little bit early. Like I it’s hard to say, but um I think he’s he’s a really smart player, really talented player. So um and he has like a different skill set to mine, I guess, in a way. So, um I think that could work out in a way where we kind of fill different roles and um can bring different things to the table depending on on what we need as a team and yeah, like you said, like having an option to go play smaller, have like multiple shooters out there, like I think um could be a really cool option for us. Yeah, you know, there’s four more years tacked on to your extension. Obviously, if you complete those four years, uh that would bring you to nine years of service with the Raptors. That would actually tie you with Kyle and Lamar for longest tenure Raptors. When I say that to you, what is that? What what comes to mind when uh that’s pretty crazy. I haven’t thought about that. Uh I guess yeah, the the the two stints really helped me out there, but and I mean it’s still a long time to go, but um hopefully yeah, that would be really cool. Um keep that going and um set some records out here. Congrats. Faster.

Toronto Raptors center Jakob Poeltl talks at Las Vegas Summer League about signing his new extension, how the Raptors can get back to contention, the emergence of Bench Mob 2.0, and bids farewell to Masai Ujiri.