Jakob Poeltl expresses interest in re-signing with Raptors

Centre Jakob Poeltl discusses the loss to the Bulls, whether or not he wants to re-sign with Toronto and the environment around the Raptors organization.

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- A lot of guys catch [INAUDIBLE] dribble. At what point in time, like, in your basketball development did you learn that?

JAKOB POELTL: I don't think that's something specific that I work on. And I think it also depends on the defense a lot. I think I do that in situations when the big helps up. It's almost like a trap. And then I get a pocket pass to him I'm almost expecting a rotation from somewhere. So if I just blindly keep running, I'm running the risk of, like, getting a charge or something.

But I still want to keep my momentum going. So then I catch it, pivot so I get a chance to, like, if I see there's nobody there, just go right away or still have, like, the opportunity to, like, pass out if I see somebody's rotating over. But I think that's-- like I said, I think that's just something that kind of developed from playing experience, not, like, a drill that I worked on.

- Do you find that, like, he has been pretty good at keeping guys off balance. Just from, like, watching film myself, it seems like it's extremely effective.

JAKOB POELTL: Like I said, it's not like a specific move that I, like, consciously, like, try and make it. I think that's just, like, me-- now looking back at it, now that you mentioned it, like, that's kind of why I do it. It's not something I actively, like, try to implement in my game.

- Something very [INAUDIBLE] specific? Oh.

[LAUGHTER]

This, for you, how the game and season ended last night-- your thoughts on that.

JAKOB POELTL: It was frustrating. It was-- it was really frustrating because we felt so in control of that game, where I felt like we were really in control of that game. I feel like we have a really good match-up against them. Like, we just-- yep, we almost went-- maybe we went too much into cruise control. And, like, we, like, let off the gas a little bit and let them back in.

Yeah, I don't know. It's tough looking back at a game like this where we really should have just close it out. And for numerous reasons, like I said, we let off, we let them gain some confidence. And then, obviously, they're a talented team. So, like, when you let them back in the game and they gain all that confidence. Then we put ourselves on the back foot.

So, yeah, it hurts to go out like that. And it's kind of like what I said before the game. Like, the nature of a one-and-done game like that, you can't allow yourself to relax even for-- for a minute. Because if we just kept doing what we were doing, we would've been fine. We probably would've closed came out easily.

But we made it a close game towards the end. And then, yeah, it just-- it's a matter of one shot going in or not, one call going your way or not. Like, we shouldn't have let it get to that spot.

- In terms of understanding the value of each possession, you mentioned going too much into cruise control. How far do you think this team is in really understanding that and how quickly things can kind of slip away?

JAKOB POELTL: I mean, I think we're aware of it. Obviously, like, we're not-- we're pretty experienced. And we're not, like, super experienced. I think it's-- to a degree, it's like a natural thing, when it feels easy, that you kind of relax for a little bit. You got to, like, kind of fight that instinct and, like, just be mentally aware of the fact, like, no, we cannot let up here. Especially, you would expect them, if they're down, like, kind of like a last-ditch effort, like, to just put it all out there, and you got to, yeah, fight that head on.

Yeah. I mean, I don't know, I don't think it's an experience issue with us. I think we're aware of it. It's just, yeah, just a mistake we made last night. And we couldn't afford to make it.

- Having come in for, let's say, the last third of the year, do you feel like you have a sense of how much the group, as a whole, believes what's possible with this team and the level of confidence, the level of doubt? Like, do you think you can sum that up, like, for the whole group? Or how do you feel?

JAKOB POELTL: But it's tough for me to say. Like, I've only been in this environment for a couple months. I feel like, in general, we have a really confident group. I think we're all aware of where we can be. I think we're just-- at times, we're like a small step behind. Like, it seems like a tiny adjustment that we need to make. I feel like we have everything we need.

We're just not quite there. And it's about figuring out what that is, to, like, put us in a spot where we are, um-- we're really good on a consistent level, you know what I mean? And what those adjustments are, like, it's-- like I said, it's not always easy to figure out. Maybe, like, small change of mindset here, might be a small tactical change. I don't know. Like, I can't tell you that. But it's about figuring that out to become a winning team, like, a really winning team.

- How much patience do you have for getting this to [INAUDIBLE]? Because [INAUDIBLE] how you want to be part of the team that wins into the playoff games. So I'm just wondering-- you're obviously not going crazy. How much patience do you have to have to be here and help this team grow into that [INAUDIBLE]?

JAKOB POELTL: Uh, I mean, it's not really about my patience. I feel like I got plenty of patience for that. That's not really a problem. I'm trying to figure out what we need to-- for us to get there.

And, yeah, I don't know, I keep-- in my mind, I keep coming back to consistency, which, at times, is out of our hands as well. It's, like, injuries and, like, the team, kind of, like-- sort of myself adding a new piece to it, like, stuff like that. Yeah. But I don't think my patience is, like, an issue there. Like, I want to make it work.

- All things being equal, what do you like to be back in Toronto?

JAKOB POELTL: I think so, yeah. Obviously, like, somewhere summertime in the NBA, like, who knows what's gonna happen? Like, I don't know what we're gonna look like as a tea, what my situation's gonna be like. I think, looking back at the months that I had here, I enjoyed my time. And I feel like we, I don't know, kind of leaving with this, like, bad taste in my mouth.

And I personally feel like I want to do better than that.

- [INAUDIBLE].

- What's your-- or, what was your favorite thing about coming back to the city? Obviously, when you came back right after the trade, you seemed quite excited about the opportunity to come back here. Was there anything that really stood out to you [INAUDIBLE]?

JAKOB POELTL: Hmm, I don't know if anything, like, really stood out. I mean, obviously, it was fun coming back into an environment here. Like, the games are always a lot of fun to play here. I think our record at home also shows, like, just, we just, like, we're very comfortable playing here.

Yeah. I mean, seeing the-- just seeing all the people around here again, like, a lot of familiar faces from way back when. I really enjoyed that part of it. Like, just rekindling those relationships was really enjoyable for me. Yeah. It was an overall, like, good experience these last couple months. I don't know if it's something that really stood out.

- You played for a team earlier this season that had different aspirations. What's it like playing for a team that's more focused on development in the future than, sort of, winning this season, or in any given season?

JAKOB POELTL: It was-- I mean, it was different mentally. At times, it's frustrating because you feel like you want to win every game. But you just, I don't know, you don't have the experience for it. Like, you're almost like you going upstream, like, against, like, all these outside factors all the time.

But it was interesting for me to be part of that environment, to be like a teacher, in a sense, for the young guys. Because I-- for almost the whole season, I was the longest-tenured Spurs there, Spurs player. So I was trying to teach the young guys or the new guys, like, what the Spurs culture was about, which, for me, like, a year or two before that, I was still trying to learn that.

So that was an interesting dynamic. But I definitely enjoyed that. And yeah, obviously I wanted to win some games. So that was a part I was really looking forward to coming here, being part of a winning environment, being part of that intensity again that, like, every-game-matters mentality.

- How valuable-- San Antonio is an organization, has had a lot of success. How valuable is a coach that's been there forever in an organization that has a lot of stability to, sort of, their culture and their organization, having that same stability with those people.

JAKOB POELTL: It adds a lot of value, yes, because he embodies that culture, like Pop does. So as long as he's there, I feel like that culture's gonna stay alive. And that's a very positive culture. Like, as far as I've experienced it, I've had nothing but good experiences with that, the way they treat their players, like, the whole organization is run.

Like, at least, like I said, from my perspective, from what I've learned and experienced over the years was great. And, yeah, probably, like, him being there for so long and, like, having a chance to build all of that over a long period of time definitely helps, yeah.

- Jakob, when you-- you mentioned the bitterness you felt after the game last night. Did you sense that across the locker room in, you know, wanting to come back next season and get it right together? Did you feel that unity in that?

JAKOB POELTL: I mean, you definitely sense the bitterness, yeah. And, like, different guys deal with it in different ways. Like-- but you could tell that guys were upset. Like, obviously, like, nobody likes to lose. Like, definitely nobody likes to lose in that fashion, in a game like this. I don't know. I mean, I don't know if guys feel like they want to come back or not. You're gonna have to ask them.

- Thank you.

- Thank you.

[INTERPOSING VOICES]