Precious Achiuwa Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Atlantic Notes: Achiuwa, Hart, Anunoby, Porzingis, Celtics

March 14th, 2024 at 10:59pm CST by Tristan Tucker

Knicks forward Precious Achiuwa has impressed in the midst of several injuries to key players like Julius Randle, starting 18 straight games and averaging 12.5 points, 9.5 rebounds, 1.1 steals and 1.8 blocks per night. He returned to the bench as the team got healthier on Tuesday, but remained productive, registering 12 points, eight boards and two blocks against Philadelphia.

As observed by Newsday’s Steve Popper (subscriber link) and as we previously noted, it’s been a pleasant homecoming for Achiuwa, who moved to New York from Nigeria in eighth grade and played some high school ball there.

“It was a very, very cool moment for me,” Achiuwa said. “Inner city kid, growing up in the city, of course, hearing about the Knicks, seeing the games and stuff. Now, being able to represent the city on that platform is really huge. Seeing how the city accepted me and just me being there in that particular moment was very nostalgic in a way. It was a crazy moment for sure.

“This is the best I’ve played in a really really long time.”

While Achiuwa’s play is exciting, Stefan Bondy of the New York Post writes New York may soon have a difficult decision to make. Achiuwa’s a restricted free agent this offseason and while his current projected $8-10MM valuation is more than reasonable for his production, Mitchell Robinson, due $14.3MM next season, is under contract. Additionally, Isaiah Hartenstein, who has taken over the starting job in the wake of Robinson’s injury, will become an unrestricted free agent.

Assuming the Knicks re-sign OG Anunoby, bringing back both Hartenstein – who could get a contract with an annual value around $13-14MM – and Achiuwa would send New York into the luxury tax, Bondy observes. While those salary projections seem safe for now, Bondy writes, it’s possible each Hartenstein and Achiuwa get more money than expected in a relatively weak frontcourt free agent class.

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Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau defied his own trend of playing one lead guard, two wings, a power forward and a center when he transitioned to a position-less lineup in Anunoby’s return, Bondy writes in a member-only New York Post article. As Bondy observes, Anunoby played alongside Josh Hart in the starting lineup, and that duo has the NBA’s best net rating among two players with at least 241 minutes together (+37.7). “I like that versatility, and we thought that was one of the big reasons why we wanted OG, was what he would bring to the team,” Thibodeau said. “So I think it’s a huge plus for us.“
Kristaps Porzingis missed his fourth straight game for the Celtics on Thursday, but head coach Joe Mazzulla gave a promising update on the star before the game, according to MassLive’s Brian Robb. “He’s progressing well,” Mazzulla said. “He was on the court today earlier, just working out with the guys. Don’t have an official timeline, but he’s getting better and better.“
Boston’s starters have gotten plenty of credit for the Celtics‘ success this season, but the bench has played a pivotal, yet understated role this year, according to NBC Sports Boston’s Chris Forsberg. The bench unit including Sam Hauser, Payton Pritchard and Luke Kornet have outscored opponents by 219 points on the year, the best in the NBA. In-season addition Xavier Tillman has also been a key contributor as of late.
In case you missed it, the Sixers are signing Kai Jones to a 10-day contract. Get the details here.

Knicks Notes: Offensive Struggles, Anunoby, Randle, Milton, Rotation

March 11th, 2024 at 10:40am CST by Arthur Hill

The Knicks played their worst game of the season and posted their lowest offensive total in nearly six years in Sunday’s 79-73 loss to Philadelphia, writes Steve Popper of Newsday. It was the fewest points scored by any NBA team in 2023/24, barely eclipsing the 74 points that New York held Orlando to Friday night, and Knicks players were honest about their performance.

“We played like [expletive],” Josh Hart said. “I mean, we obviously didn’t shoot the ball well. Turnovers bad. I think I had six or seven myself … But we’ve got to try to flush it. Got them again on Tuesday. Try to come out and play better.”

The Knicks shot 32.5% from the field and committed 19 turnovers, with All-Star Jalen Brunson going just 6-of-22. The game had a late-1990s feel to it, Popper observes, including a fourth quarter altercation between Donte DiVincenzo and Kelly Oubre that led to a shoving match involving several players.

DiVincenzo refused to comment on the scuffle, but Oubre said, “All of that stuff’s funny to me. I don’t know why. I just laugh, because nobody’s gonna fight.”

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Coach Tom Thibodeau said OG Anunoby will travel with the team when it departs for the West Coast on Thursday, per Ian Begley of SNY (Twitter link). There’s hope that Anunoby will be able to return soon from a right elbow injury that has sidelined him since January 27. Julius Randle and Mitchell Robinson will also make the trip, but there are concerns about why Randle still hasn’t been cleared for contact, Begley adds.
Randle missed his 18th game of the season Sunday night, which means he won’t receive a $1.28MM bonus for appearing in 65 games, tweets Bobby Marks of ESPN. Randle’s contract includes the same bonus for next season, which will now be considered unlikely. His cap hit will be adjusted to $28.9MM and the team will receive a $1.28MM tax variance credit for this season, Marks adds.
Shake Milton has only played one minute in three games since signing with the Knicks last week, but Thibodeau is urging him to be patient, according to Peter Botte of The New York Post. “Just fit in and stay ready. Trades are hard in the middle of the season. You gotta learn the system,” Thibodeau said. “But I like what I’ve seen from him in terms of his attitude, his approach. He’s been very, very good.”
In a separate story, Popper examines what the Knicks’ rotation might look like if everyone is healthy. He notes that a potential starting five of Brunson, DiVincenzo, Anunoby, Randle and Robinson hasn’t played together yet. If that’s the starting unit, Popper expects Hart, Isaiah Hartenstein and Miles McBride to be the first three reserves. It’s tougher to determine who’s next in line, as Precious Achiuwa, Bojan Bogdanovic, Alec Burks, Jericho Sims and Milton will all be competing for limited minutes.

Knicks Notes: Anunoby, Hartenstein, Brunson, Achiuwa

March 9th, 2024 at 9:31am CST by Tristan Tucker

Knicks forward OG Anunoby is at the final step of his injury rehabilitation process, practicing without limitations, as relayed by SNY’s Ian Begley. He’s scrimmaging five-on-five and taking contact.

“Just see how he responds the next day [after a practice], the doctor clears him, then he can go,” head coach Tom Thibodeau said.

Getting Anunoby back from injury would be huge for a Knicks team that is only has a 2.5-game cushion on the East’s eighth seed. New York is 12-2 with Anunoby in the lineup this season and has gone just 8-9 since he went down with his elbow injury.

Anunoby has averaged 15.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.8 steals and 1.1 blocks per night while shooting 51.6% from the field and 39.1% from deep in the 14 games he has played with New York so far.

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Isaiah Hartenstein was a huge factor in the Knicks defeating the Magic on Friday while holding Orlando to a league-wide season-low 74 points, Begley observes in the same story. Hartenstein had three blocks as he continues to play through Achilles soreness as part of his ramp-up plan to full strength. “Isaiah’s defense to start the game was top of the line,” Thibodeau said. “That’s as active as he’s been in quite a while so it was great to see.” By defeating the Magic, the Knicks moved back into the fourth seed in the East.
After missing the previous game with a knee contusion, Jalen Brunson returned for the Knicks and scored 26 points against the Magic while New York held Orlando to the lowest point total of any opponent since 2012, the New York Post’s Stefan Bondy observes. Brunson’s knee injury looked worse than it was, and he was back to making impact plays quickly. “I thought of a thousand different situations of what [the injury] could have been and I’m just glad it wasn’t,” Brunson said.
Precious Achiuwa, brought in alongside Anunoby, was also big in the win over the Magic, recording a career-high five blocks. He h as been crucial to the Knicks staying afloat despite numerous injuries, starting each of the past 17 games while averaging 12.8 points, 9.5 rebounds. 1.8 blocks and 1.1 steals. Achiuwa expressed gratitude to supporting fans after the win. “Just being able to come back home and represent the city means a lot to me,” Achiuwa said, per Knicks on MSG (Twitter link). “I just want to say thank you, New York City – I love you guys.“

Atlantic Notes: Achiuwa, Hartenstein, Lowry, Barnes, Quickley

February 24th, 2024 at 11:23am CST by Tristan Tucker

Knicks forward Precious Achiuwa took over the starting power forward position over the past 10 games in Julius Randle‘s absence and has played some of the best basketball of his career during that stretch, The Athletic’s Fred Katz writes. Achiuwa is averaging 14.3 points, 10.3 rebounds, 1.1 steals and 1.5 blocks in his last 10 outings, including three games with more than 15 rebounds.

Achiuwa flew under the radar when he was moved to New York in the trade for OG Anunoby, but he’s been one of the team’s steadiest contributors after uneven stops in Miami and Toronto to begin his career, Katz writes. Playing under coach Tom Thibodeau has unlocked aspects of Achiuwa’s game, including effective fake dribble handoffs.

“You knew there was versatility to his game,” Thibodeau said. “But we didn’t understand the dribble handoff part of it, all those things. And the offensive rebounding is something that we liked from the start. We knew he was very effective with that.”

The Knicks will have some decisions to make once Randle returns to the lineup, but Achiuwa is making a strong case to be included in a fully healthy rotation, according to Katz.

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Knicks center Isaiah Hartenstein returned to the court on Thursday after missing three games with injury. However, according to New York Post’s Stefan Bondy, Hartenstein left the arena with “a little frustration” about his minutes because they differed from his ramp-up plan. Hartenstein said he was supposed to hit the 21-minute mark but he only played 11 in a win over the Sixers.
Kyle Lowry made his debut with the Sixers on Thursday, scoring 11 points, four rebounds and five assists while receiving a standing ovation in front of his hometown crowd. “It was an amazing atmosphere and the ovation that I got was awesome. I was happy,” Lowry said, per ESPN’s Tim Bontemps. “I was pissed that we lost and we were in that situation, but it was a great moment. Now for me it’s about winning basketball games.” Lowry was born in Philadelphia and played college ball at Villanova.
When the Raptors acquired Immanuel Quickley, they added an athletic guard who can shoot the ball — an ideal complement on paper to star Scottie Barnes. While there have been some bright spots with the pairing, The Athletic’s Eric Koreen observes that it’s still a work in progress. Each player is playing individually well, but Toronto is looking for more synchronicity with the duo, per Koreen.

Knicks Notes: Achiuwa, Injuries, Randle, DiVincenzo

February 16th, 2024 at 6:41pm CST by Rory Maher

After a highly impressive stretch of play which saw New York go 15-2 from January 1 to February 1, a wave of injuries finally caught up with the Knicks, who have dropped five of their past six games entering the All-Star break.

With OG Anunoby (elbow), Julius Randle (shoulder), Mitchell Robinson (ankle surgery) all sidelined and Isaiah Hartenstein missing the past three contests with a sore Achilles, the Knicks have been heavily reliant on Precious Achiuwa, and the fourth-year forward/center has responded well, writes Peter Botte of The New York Post.

Over the past eight games, all starts, the 24-year-old big man has put up 14.5 points, 10.9 rebounds, 1.1 steals and 1.6 blocks in 41.6 minutes. Achiuwa pulled down an eye-popping 19 offensive rebounds over the past two games, Botte notes.

“I mentioned earlier what Isaiah has shown us and then Precious coming in,” head coach Tom Thibodeau said after Wednesday’s road loss to the Magic. “Obviously there were things we liked about [Achiuwa], that’s why we traded for him. But he’s shown us a lot. And it’s given us more versatility, we have size now at the 4. He can play the 4 or the 5, can play it well. … So that’s a big plus for us.”

Achiuwa, who was acquired from Toronto in the deal that sent Anunoby to New York, will be a restricted free agent this summer if the Knicks give him a qualifying offer, which seems very likely based on how he’s performed of late.

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Thibodeau is hoping to have multiple players back from injuries after the All-Star break, Botte writes in another story for The New York Post. Donte DiVincenzo (hamstring), trade-deadline addition Bojan Bogdanovic (calf) and Hartenstein all missed Wednesday’s game, but they could return next Thursday against Philadelphia. “I think we’ve had a great two-thirds of the season. We’ve put ourselves in a position where we’ve done well, but we have a lot of room for improvement,” All-Star guard Jalen Brunson said. “So I think this break is obviously good for us. We’re the walking wounded right now. But I’m more than happy with what we’ve been able to do. So quick reset and just be ready to go next week.”
While there’s still a chance he may need season-ending surgery after dislocating his right shoulder on January 27, Randle’s rehab has gone well over the past few weeks, per Ian Begley of SNY.tv. “I’ve heard during this period that there’s been some positive progression here during the rehab and I think that’s left people with even more reason to be optimistic that Randle will be back at some point this season,” Begley said on Thursday’s episode of The Putback with Ian Begley. “I don’t know if they’re out of the woods yet, but certainly the progress that he has made over the last couple of weeks during this rehab stretch has left people excited about the possibility of him coming back.”
DiVicenzo is another player who has stepped up his game with Randle and Anunoby out. As Fred Katz of The Athletic details, DiVincenzo is drawing extra defensive attention lately due to his long-range shooting, with the sixth-year guard ranking second in the NBA over his past eight games in three-point attempts (13.3) and makes (5.3), only trailing Stephen Curry in those two categories. He’s averaging 26.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.5 steals on .459/.396/.750 shooting in 40.4 minutes over that span. “I think it’s his best stretch of basketball,” Thibodeau said.

Atlantic Notes: Brunson, Knicks, Olynyk, Agbaji, Brown, Sixers

February 11th, 2024 at 9:31am CST by Luke Adams

The Knicks appear to have avoided an injury scare with Jalen Brunson, as the All-Star point guard returned to the lineup on Saturday following a one-game absence due to an ankle sprain. Brunson showed no ill effects from the injury, scoring 39 points on 14-of-25 shooting, per Mark W. Sanchez of The New York Post.

Despite Brunson’s return and the debuts of newly acquired role players Bojan Bogdanovic and Alec Burks, the Knicks remained shorthanded due to injuries and lost on Saturday to Indiana, writes Peter Botte of The New York Post. The team is especially banged up in the frontcourt, where Precious Achiuwa was forced to play 43 minutes vs. the Pacers. With Mitchell Robinson, Julius Randle, Isaiah Hartenstein, and Jericho Sims all inactive, Taj Gibson logged 19 minutes on the first day of his second 10-day contract with New York.

“I thought for the first game (with the new additions), there were some obviously good things and obviously there’s a lot for them to adjust to. As a team, I think we have to do a lot better,” head coach Tom Thibodeau said. “We’re shorthanded. We’re going to have to play a lot harder and a lot tougher.”

While their first game with the Knicks didn’t go as planned, both Bogdanovic and Burks expressed excitement about the opportunity to join a playoff team after spending the first half of the season with the league-worst Pistons. According to Botte, Burks – a former Knick – didn’t want to leave New York in the first place and said repeatedly that he’s “glad to be back.”

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As Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca details, new Raptors Kelly Olynyk and Ochai Agbaji both have connections to the franchise — Olynyk grew up in Toronto rooting for the Raptors, while Agbaji’s father is old friends with team president Masai Ujiri. The two former Jazz players expressed excitement about their new circumstances, with Agbaji suggesting it feels like a “fresh new start” and Olynyk noting that he and the Raptors have had mutual interest in the past. “It’s always been on our radar, both of our radars,” the big man said. “I think maybe it’s been close [before], but it’s hard for me to know [for sure]… But [now that] it did happen, it’s pretty awesome.”
Raptors wing Bruce Brown was considered one of the top trade candidates on the market leading up to the deadline, but he ended up staying put. He’s happy with that outcome, as Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca tweets. “It feels great, it feels great,” said Brown, whose contract includes a $23MM team option for 2024/25. “Obviously it’s nice to have some stability. … I”m glad to be here for the rest of the season and then try and work things out.”
Although the Raptors were enthusiastic about the moves they made on the trade market, they’ve completed a full-fledged overhaul of their roster in the past six weeks or so, and their lack of continuity showed in Saturday’s blowout loss to Cleveland, Grange writes at Sportsnet.ca. “Obviously, it’s really tough,” Olynyk said. “You don’t know really what’s going on on both ends of the floor. I think that was probably pretty evident in the first half.”
Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer takes a look at a “whirlwind” couple days for Sixers trade deadline additions Buddy Hield and Cameron Payne, who played significant minutes as starters for an injury-depleted Philadelphia team on Friday, then helped lead their new club to a victory in Washington on Saturday.

Knicks Rumors: Clarkson, Olynyk, Grimes, Griffin, Randle, More

January 31st, 2024 at 9:06am CST by Luke Adams

Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson and big man Kelly Olynyk are among the players the Knicks have inquired on ahead of next Thursday’s trade deadline, league sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. Scotto says New York registered trade interest in both Utah players earlier in January.

According to Scotto, Knicks wing Quentin Grimes came up in separate discussions with the Jazz for Clarkson and Olynyk. Ian Begley of SNY.tv previously identified Utah as one of the teams with interest in Grimes.

Sources tell HoopsHype that Olynyk has drawn interest from several clubs and is viewed by rival executives as the Jazz’s top trade candidate, though one NBA scout who spoke to Scotto is more bullish about Clarkson’s ability to make an impact for a new team.

“Whatever team can get Clarkson will be a game changer,” that scout said. “I think he’s the best of the volume scorers available on the trade market.”

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According to Scotto, Grimes has also come up in New York’s discussions with the Hawks, another team previously named by Begley as a team with interest in the third-year swingman. The two clubs discussed Grimes in separate negotiations involving Dejounte Murray and AJ Griffin, per Scotto, who adds that Atlanta views Grimes as a potential three-and-D fit next to Trae Young.
Knicks forward OG Anunoby missed a second consecutive game on Tuesday due to inflammation in his elbow, but he’s still considered day-to-day, so it doesn’t sound like his absence should be a lengthy one, writes Peter Botte of The New York Post. As Botte relays, head coach Tom Thibodeau said on Tuesday that he hopes to have more information on Julius Randle‘s recovery timeline for his dislocated right shoulder within “a day or two.”
Despite being without Anunoby and Randle again, the Knicks won their eighth consecutive game on Tuesday, registering a 118-103 victory at home over Utah. Precious Achiuwa played a significant role in his second start as a Knick, scoring 18 points on 8-of-13 shooting in a season-high 40 minutes. “I’m getting more and more comfortable with my teammates,” Achiuwa said, per Andrew Crane of The New York Post. “They’re getting comfortable with me and my style of play as well, and just playing the right way, making the right reads.”

Knicks Notes: Randle, Hart, Anunoby, Achiuwa, Fournier

January 29th, 2024 at 6:26pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau wouldn’t speculate prior to their game against Charlotte on Monday how much time Julius Randle might miss, Stefan Bondy of the New York Post tweets.

Randle dislocated his right shoulder against Miami on Saturday and is expected to be out at least a few weeks, though an MRI revealed no significant damage.

“He’s being smart right now, as are we. So we’re gathering the information then we’ll make a good decision once we have the information,” Thibodeau said. “I think that’s a big part of decision making. To speculate before you have all the information would just speculation.”

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Josh Hart said the early prognosis on Randle’s injury is reason for optimism, Bondy reports in another tweet.“That has us in good spirits that he’s not going to be out too long,” Hart said. “We have to stay afloat during that time. I think we have the pieces to do that.”
While Randle mends, Hart could be inserted into the lineup at the three with OG Anunoby to power forward, Mark W. Sanchez of the Post writes. The could also go with a more traditional lineup, with Precious Achiuwa starting, or even consider a very small unit with Quentin Grimes in place of Randle. Jericho Sims will likely take on a bigger role, Sanchez adds.
Anunoby was a late scratch on Monday due to right elbow inflammation, the team’s PR department tweets. He’s averaging 15.6 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.8 steals in 14 starts since being acquired from Toronto. Hart and Achiuwa started on Monday in place of Anunoby and Randle, Ian Begley of SNY TV tweets.
Evan Fournier did not travel with the team due to personal reasons, Fred Katz of The Athletic tweets. Fournier, who has appeared in only three games, is a prime trade candidate due to his contract, which includes a $19MM club option for next season.

Knicks Notes: Grimes, Sims, Achiuwa, Brunson

January 24th, 2024 at 9:59pm CST by Arthur Hill

Quentin Grimes has been the subject of recent trade rumors, but coach Tom Thibodeau wants the third-year wing to ignore the speculation and concentrate on basketball, writes Peter Botte of The New York Post. The Knicks have reportedly been taking calls about Grimes, but Thibodeau said that’s not a sign that anything will happen.

“For this time of year, for every 100 trades that get talked about, one gets done. That’s why you stick to your routine,” Thibodeau said. “You block out all the outside stuff. You lock into what’s in front of you and keep your focus there. Let basketball be your focus. So, I think where we are today, the popularity of the game is so huge. Media, social media and everyone talking about it. It’s a by-product of society today. But don’t get caught up in it. Whether it’s praise, criticism, speculation, it doesn’t matter. The only thing that really matters is what you think and what we think. That’s it.”

Botte notes that Grimes probably expected his playing time to increase after RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley were traded to Toronto last month. Instead, it has declined since the deal as Thibodeau has relied more on other players on his reconfigured bench.

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With their top two centers hurt, the Knicks got a strong night from their reserve big men in Tuesday’s win at Brooklyn, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. Mitchell Robinson underwent ankle surgery and hasn’t played since December 8, and Isaiah Hartenstein saw his consecutive games streak end at 164 due to an inflamed Achilles, but Jericho Sims and Precious Achiuwa were capable replacements. Sims started the game and blocked four shots in the first quarter, and Achiuwa played the entire fourth quarter as New York rallied for the victory. “[They were] amazing,” Julius Randle said. “Precious gave us big minutes. Jericho gave us big minutes. Protecting the rim. Jericho was great protecting the rim in the first half. Precious just being in the right spots, getting us extra possessions rebounding the ball. Defending guards. All that type of stuff. Gave us a lot of versatility.”
Jalen Brunson has been playing at an All-Star level, but that won’t guarantee him a spot in the game when the rosters are announced Thursday night, Botte notes in a separate story. Brunson ranked sixth among Eastern Conference backcourt players in the latest round of fan voting, which accounts for half of the final total. He may need to be selected by the coaches to earn his first-ever All-Star nod.
The Knicks should monitor trade opportunities, but they shouldn’t risk their current chemistry with an aggressive move, contends Fred Katz of The Athletic, adding that he doesn’t see an ideal player for the team on this year’s market.

Atlantic Notes: Hartenstein, Poeltl, Martin, Maxey

January 22nd, 2024 at 6:53pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Center Isaiah Hartenstein could miss some time due to soreness in his left foot and ankle, Ian Begley of SNY TV tweets. The Knicks will see how he feels on Tuesday before determining his status for their matchup with the Nets. He’s listed as questionable due to Achilles tendinopathy.

Coach Tom Thibodeau said Jericho Sims and Precious Achiuwa will need to step in if Hartenstein misses any time (Twitter link via Knicks Videos). Julius Randle or OG Anunoby could also get minutes at center if Thibodeau is willing to use smaller lineups.

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Raptors center Jakob Poeltl is progressing well in his recovery from an ankle injury, Josh Lewenberg of TSN Sports tweets. Poeltl didn’t play against Memphis on Monday but the Raptors are hoping to have him back “very, very soon,” according to coach Darko Rajakovic. Poeltl hasn’t played since Jan. 7.
The Sixers have made swingman KJ Martin available on the trade market, Marc Stein reports in his latest notebook. Philadelphia is looking for a quality second-round pick in a potential deal. Martin has struggled for playing time on a veteran-laden team. He has appeared in 25 games this season but is only averaging 5.9 minutes in those outings. He’ll be an unrestricted free agent after the season.
By starting 41 games this season, Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey has met the starter’s criteria, bumping his qualifying offer to $8,486,620, ESPN’s Bobby Marks tweets. For a player at Maxey’s level, the increase of his QO isn’t significant, since he’s widely expected to receive a max contract from Philadelphia in lieu of exploring the restricted free agent market.