Acquired as a trade chip alongside DeMar DeRozan in the return from Toronto, third-year big man Jakob Poeltl is coming into his own with the San Antonio Spurs. It was a rocky beginning to the season for Poeltl, who faced the wrath of Gregg Popovich. For reasons that never truly became clear, Pop sat Poeltl in three-of-six games to kick off his time with the Spurs.
Since then, Poeltl seems to have earned the trust of his coaching staff with a clear-cut commitment to defense and rebounding. His knack for attacking the boards was his main appeal in the trade at a point when Pau Gasol was the only center on the roster.