Raptors share concerning Jakob Poeltl injury update

Toronto Raptors centre Jakob Poeltl has been dealing with a back injury throughout the season.

Toronto Raptors center Jakob Poeltl gets control of a rebound against the Boston Celtics. | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

Toronto Raptors centre Jakob Poeltl has been dealing with a back injury throughout the season, and the team is taking different measures in how to heal from it.

"Jakob Poeltl will miss at least another week with his back injury, the Raptors say. He is currently completing a program of “intensive rehab and strengthening.” He’ll be reevaluated again next week," TSN Sports reporter Josh Lewenberg tweeted.

Jakob Poeltl will miss at least another week with his back injury, the Raptors say. He is currently completing a program of “intensive rehab and strengthening.” He’ll be reevaluated again next week.

— Josh Lewenberg (@JLew1050) December 29, 2025

Poeltl out for another week

Poeltl has been in and out of the lineup since the start of the season after tweaking his back during training camp. However, he has been spending more time out of the lineup than in it in recent weeks. He has only played in one game since December 15.

He appeared in a six-minute stretch against the Brooklyn Nets on December 21, but was a game-time decision due to his injury. He tried to give it a go, but it was not going in his favor.

“He has lower-back pain that comes and goes. It’s pretty unpredictable. He goes in the game and is great in the game. He might wake up in the next morning feeling good or not feeling good. Same thing with practice. We have a long-term plan for him which consists of managing his injury, which consists of building his strength, which consists of him playing through a certain level of pain," Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic said last week via Sportsnet reporter Michael Grange.

"Long-term, we are not concerned at all. It’s just something we’re dealing with in the middle of the season. If it were the off-season and we were to shut him down for two weeks, he would be completely fine. It’s something we’re really trying to manage day to day.”

This means Poeltl will be out for the game against the Orlando Magic, Denver Nuggets on New Year's Eve and the first two games of the new year against the Atlanta Hawks. The Raptors are luckily at home for the next four games, so the team will be able to closely monitor Poeltl while being able to play at home.

This opens the door for new free agency signing Mo Bamba to make his Raptors debut at some point during the homestand. It could come as early as tonight against his former team in the Magic when the two squads tip off at 7:30 p.m. ET inside the Scotiabank Arena. Fans can watch the game on TSN Sports or stream it on NBA League Pass.