Raptors' Jakob Poeltl: Could return before All-Star break
Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic said Thursday that Poeltl (back) has been "reacting really well" to his recent on-court work, and the Raptors are hopeful he can return before the All-Star break, Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca reports.
Poeltl has already been ruled out for Thursday's game against the Bulls, but if he's able to increase his workload in practice Saturday, he may have a chance at playing as soon as Sunday's game versus the Pacers or next Wednesday's game against the Pistons. Given that he's been out since Dec. 21 due to a lower-back strain, Poeltl is likely to have some restrictions once he's cleared to play again, but he may be worth grabbing in certain leagues if he's sitting on a waiver wire. Collin Murray-Boyles and Sandro Mamukelashvili will both see their respective fantasy values take a hit once Poeltl is back in the mix and fully up to speed.
