The Toronto Raptors are navigating some early-season struggles, and questions are being sparked in regards to the team's long-term plans for the year.

One of those issues is starting centre Jakob Poeltl, who has gotten off to a rough start this season for the team. While he bounced back against the Orlando Magic in the team's last matchup, it remains to be seen what his ceiling is for the Raptors. Some members of the Toronto Raptors On SI staff came up with solutions to mitigate the issue.

Restrict his minutes

"The unfortunate thing with Jakob Poeltl is that you can’t just sit $27 million on the bench. The optics alone hurt the player value on the market. But showing spurts rather long stretches could help other teams get more glimpses of the version Poeltl worth throwing a trade offer at. Starting him but having him on a bit of a minutes restriction may be the only way left to preserve his value without tanking the team in the wins column." — Jalon Dixon

Bring in some depth

"The Raptors are in a bit of a predicament when it comes to Poeltl. He's making so much money that it doesn't make sense to sit him, but the team needs better minutes from their centre.

"Poeltl's contract appears to be untradeable, so the only route the team can really take is playing someone else. As of now, Trayce Jackson-Davis appears to be the only other option currently on the roster. That isn't a move that breeds a ton of confidence, so the Raptors should consider bringing in a veteran who can ease some of the pressure and might help all parties involved." — Jeremy Brener

Waive and stretch him

"I believe the only thing the Raptors can do at this point is waive and stretch Poeltl’s contract. The ship has sailed on any potential trade route for Poeltl. Beyond the money he’s owed and his nagging back issues, it’s likely a fantasy to expect any team to take on a contract that still has three years remaining after this season.

"Waiving and stretching his contract would provide the Raptors with some immediate financial flexibility and potentially allow them to bring in an impact player, rather than having Poeltl continue to occupy salary cap space on a team looking to win now." — Sahal Arwo

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