Jakob Poeltl's first week at Raptors training camp has been encouraging as he showed improved health and performance, crucial for Toronto’s center position after dealing with back issues last season. During pre-season practices and a game against the Miami Heat, Poeltl demonstrated good conditioning and skill, contributing positively to team dynamics. His effectiveness is vital since he complements key players like Immanuel Quickley and Scottie Barnes well.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-05,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Jakob Poeltl had a strong first week at Raptors training camp in Quebec City, showing promising signs of recovery from back issues that affected him during the 2025-26 season. During Toronto's pre-season loss to the Miami Heat, Poeltl made several effective baseline cuts and contributed offensively. His overall health and conditioning were positive, indicating he could be a key player for the Raptors this upcoming season. The team values his defensive presence and ability to complement players like Immanuel Quickley and Scottie Barnes. Despite injuries affecting other camp participants, Poeltl's performance suggests he is ready to contribute as Toronto's sole veteran center.
Written for “Raptors Training Camp” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
Jakob Poeltl made a couple of nifty cuts along the baseline to convert quick passes into baskets a couple of times during the Raptors’ pre-season loss Saturday night, and he went full bore through four practices leading up to the game.
asserted
he → make → game
Little things are all anyone should take away from the first week of the pre-season but the way Poeltl looked, played and felt during his time in Quebec City was one of the most important discoveries.
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Poeltl → take → discoveries
“It’s always a little bit different playing a real game compared to all these practice games … it’s a little bit of a change of pace,” Poeltl said after Toronto’s 129-105 loss to the Miami Heat.
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Poeltl → ’ → Heat
“But it felt good overall.
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it → feel → ?
Poeltl’s health, particularly the back issues that plagued him through a lot of the 2025-26 season, is of vital importance to the Raptors.
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that → plague → Raptors
They need the seven-footer hale and healthy because he’s the team’s lone legitimate veteran centre and he has been a terrific complement to the likes of Immanuel Quickley and Scottie Barnes.
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he → need → Quickley
They understand how valuable he is.
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he → understand → ?
“He’s great for our team (as a defensive) anchor and (due to his) paint presence,” Barnes said during camp.
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Barnes → ’ → camp
“He helps us out in so many ways with his vision, cutting, screening.
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He → help → screening
We need Jak, we can’t do it without Jak.”
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we → need → Jak
The fact that Poeltl looked fluid and effective and fully mobile through four practices and a game has to be one of the bigger takeaways from camp.
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Poeltl → look → camp
The Raptors have almost a full roster with 14 players on full NBA contracts and a full complement of three guys on two-way deals, so there’s not a lot of lineup wiggle room.
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Raptors → have → room
But a couple of assistant coaches pointed to guard Nimari Burnett as the camp invitee who is making the biggest impression.
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who → point → impression
It didn’t really show Saturday when he fouled out in just 24 minutes and missed seven of eight three-point attempts against the Heat, but he did open some eyes in four practices, the coaches said in independent conversations.
Burnett is a six-foot-five guard who went undrafted after leading the Michigan Wolverines to the NCAA championship last spring.
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who → show → championship
There’s lot of competition at his spot — and Toronto may very well start the season with a 14-man roster instead of a full 15-man team — but Burnett has created some interest.
uncertain
Burnett → ’ → interest
Long season coming
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season → come → ?
The game meant nothing and didn’t show very much but the Raptors and Heat played the first game between Eastern Conference rivals ahead of a season that should be tremendous.
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that → mean → season
With so many good teams — Toronto and Miami are central to those discussions — every night in the regular season should have some “big” game.
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night → have → game
“If you’re competitive, that’s what you want,” Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said.
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Spoelstra → ’re → what
“Everybody’s been talking about tanking and all the other stuff for too long anyway.
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Everybody → talk → tanking
“I mean, this is the way it should be.
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it → mean → ?
We’re not ducking anybody in the East.
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We → duck → East
I know other teams probably feel the same way.”
Getting used to it
The unintended consequence of the pre-season opener was that the Raptors had to improvise their rotation.
“I think (Saturday) was a little weird, random lineups … just kind of playing,” RJ Barrett said after nine of 21 camp participants sat out because of injuries or return-to-competition conditioning turns.
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participants → know → competition
But injuries and rest are always messing with starting groups and rotations so getting some practice improvising isn’t too bad.
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getting → mess → practice
Getting to play against real opponents was welcome, too.
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Getting → get → opponents
“(The game) had so much more juice, not having to play against annoying pesky teammates that are always trying to steal the ball from me every single day,” Barrett said.
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Barrett → have → me
The Aporia
