5 Jakob Poeltl trade destinations if Toronto decides to fully embrace the tank after Scottie Barnes injury

Toronto Raptors All-Star Scottie Barnes has suffered an orbital injury that has him sidelined for at least three weeks. As a young team, the Raptors were hoping their young do-everything star could carry them to the play-in tournament. Without their centerpiece, though, Toronto could find themselves sliding down the standings in a hurry. And if the Raptors do indeed lose a lot in this stretch, they may be better off trying to win the Cooper Flagg sweepstakes rather than mounting a playoff push.

If Toronto does decide to embrace the tank, starting center Jakob Poeltl figures to become an attractive name on the trade market. In the first five games of the season, he has averaged 13.8 points, 12.6 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.2 blocks on 56 percent shooting. He's a good center, still just 29 years old, and he can bring a lot of value to a championship team. Here are five teams that could really use him, if he were to become available.

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5. Charlotte Hornets

Mark Williams has dealt with injuries over his first two seasons and has yet to play this year. Outside of Nick Richards, Charlotte has no active player that is taller than 6-foot-9, and that has hurt them badly on the glass. Shockingly, they have been the best offensive rebounding team in the league, but they're just 21st in defensive rebounding.

If LaMelo Ball can stay healthy, the Hornets have hopes of competing for the play-in tournament. That's going to be hard to do if they don't have size, and that's why they are a potential destination for Poeltl. Williams would be the centerpiece in this trade: He's making $13 million this season and takes minutes away from Tidjane Salaun, the sixth overall pick in the draft. Getting Poeltl would open those minutes for Salaun to get more playing time and develop.

4. Memphis Grizzlies

The Memphis Grizzlies, on the other hand, do not have a size issue. 7-foot-4 Zach Edey is the starting center and 6-foot-11 Jaren Jackson Jr. is the starting power forward. The problem is Edey is a rookie, and his size doesn't translate well to the NBA.

In 83 minutes, Edey is a -39 in box plus/minus, which is the worst on the Grizzlies. He would be much better in a bench role, and Memphis should get Poeltl to take his spot in the starting lineup and play a role akin to what Steven Adams brought when the Grizzlies were really humming two years ago. Adams was a great offensive rebounder and defender, which allowed Jackson to roam as a help defender. Poeltl is like Adams in that way, which would unlock Jackson's best defensive ability.

With Brandon Clarke tearing his Achilles, he would be the main piece used to get Poeltl from the Raptors. Clarke has been a huge piece to this team, but injuries have followed him every season of his career. It's now time to move on to a more experienced and healthier player, while Toronto gets a potential piece for the future.

3. New Orleans Pelicans

The Pelicans entered this season with two active centers on the roster in Yves Missi and Daniel Theis. The latter is not that big while the former is a rookie. This had led New Orleans to consider having Hebert Jones as the starting center, a lineup that would struggle to guard the elite big men in the Western Conference.

Poeltl would be a perfect addition in New Orleans. Every player in their starting lineup is 6-foot-8 or shorter. The Pels are 17th in rebounding and in desperate need for someone with Poeltl's size to fill the Jonas Valanciunas role of years past. Poeltl has been one of the top rebounders in the league for years now, which will help the Pelicans immensely. As a low post scorer, he will give the Pelicans easy opportunities at the basket, which they have also been struggling with so far this year.

An interesting deal for the Pelicans to get Poeltl could be centered around Brandon Ingram. They don't want to extend him, and the Raptors have a lot of great pieces to fill out the Pelicans roster if this trade is centered around Ingram.

2. New York Knicks

The biggest question for the New York Knicks entering the season was their lack of size. They first lost Isaiah Hartenstein to the Oklahoma City Thunder and then Mitchell Robinson with an injury that will keep him out for at least the first half of the season. New York swung a training camp trade for Karl-Anthony Towns, but their size is still a big question mark.

Adding Poeltl as a potential starting center would fix so many problems for the Knicks. New York thrived on the glass last year, particularly on the offensive end, but they're now just 27th overall and 26th in offensive rebounding through their first four games. Poeltl would help in both of those areas as he leads the league in total rebounds and is second in offensive rebounding.

The Knicks could use his size in the starting lineup and slide Towns over to the four, moving Josh Hart to the bench which helps their depth. They could still use the current starting lineup in specific situations, but having a double-big lineup is the recipe for success against teams like the Milwaukee Bucks and Philadelphia 76ers.

A trade to get Poeltl would be centered around Robinson. Despite the elite offensive rebounder Robinson is, Poeltl offers more reliability and a better bill of health. Poeltl also brings a post presence on offense that Robinson doesn't have and can make free throws, which has been a liability for the Knicks in the playoffs.

1. Los Angeles Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers are looking for a center, with reports liking them recently to the Jazz's Walker Kessler. But Utah GM Danny Ainge is notoriously difficult to strike a deal with, and Poeltl would be a great backup plan should Kessler fall through.

The Lakers fit best when they can put a center next to Anthony Davis. In small spurts, head coach JJ Redick has run a lineup with Davis and Jaxson Hayes, but they haven't proven to be a good fit. Poeltl is more of an enforcer than Hayes, guarding true centers and allowing Davis to be a deadly help defender away from the ball.

A deal to get this done would be centered around Jarred Vanderbilt, who's making $10 million and has been hurt for most of the last two years. If the Lakers are able to acquire Poeltl, their lineup flexibility deepens and they could compete with anyone in the Western Conference.