Knicks Sign Backup Big Man to Eyebrow-Raising Contract

Getty Isaiah Hartenstein #55 of the New York Knicks celebrates with teammate Precious Achiuwa #5 during the second half against the Chicago Bulls.

The New York Knicks announced on Tuesday, July 30, that they have re-signed backup big man Precious Achiuwa.

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Achiuwa’s deal is worth $6 million for one year. Interestingly, the 6-foot-8 Achiuwa waived his no-trade clause, per multiple reports. That raised a few eyebrows as his contract makes him a trade chip for the Knicks leading to the trade deadline in February. He will be trade-eligible by December 15, per SNY’s Ian Begley.

Combining Achiuwa’s salary with Miles McBride ($4.7 million) or whoever the Knicks sign with their $5.2 million taxpayer midlevel exception could bring back a player in the $11 to $12 million range.

Veteran centers in that salary range are Orlando Magic’s Mo Wagner ($11 million), Los Angeles Clippers’ Ivica Zubac ($11.7 million), Portland Trail Blazers’ Robert Williams III ($12.4 million) and Houston Rockets’ Steven Adams ($12.6 million).

Precious Throw-In

Achiuwa returns to the Knicks after he arrived as a throw-in in the OG Anunoby trade in December. But Achiuwa proved himself more than just that especially when the Knicks lost three-time All-Star forward Julius Randle to a shoulder injury in late January.

In 49 games, including 18 starts, the 24-year-old Achiuwa averaged 7.6 points on 52.5% field goal shooting, 7.2 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 24.2 minutes. In the Knicks’ playoff run, the four-year veteran posted 5.2 points on 48.8% field goal shooting, 4.2 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 20.5 minutes across nine games.

Achiuwa, a Nigerian native who played high school basketball in Bronx, re-joins the Knicks frontcourt which lost Isaiah Hartenstein.

Mitchell Robinson will start at center with Achiuwa, Jericho Sims and rookie Ariel Hukporti, who is on a two-way contract, expected to rotate as his backup.

The Knicks still have two open roster spots left and are $7.6 million under the dreaded second apron, according to ESPN’s front office insider Bobby Marks.

NBA Scout Says Knicks Had Worst Offseason

Before Achiuwa re-signed, an Eastern Conference scout told ESPN’s Tim Bontemps that the Knicks had the league’s worst offseason after they lost Hartenstein, gave injury-prone Anunoby a $212.5 million, five-year contract and traded five first-round picks for Mikal Bridges.

“I’m not convinced they’ll be better this year,” the scout told Bontemps.

Anunoby has missed 73 games over the last three seasons.

On the other hand, Bridges is the league’s ironman as he hasn’t missed a game in the last four seasons. But he’s not an All-Star and is coming off a down year in Brooklyn.

New York gave up four unprotected first-round picks (2025, 2027, 2029 and 2031), a protected 2025 first-round pick (via Milwaukee Bucks), an unprotected 2028 pick swap and a 2025 second-round pick to acquire Bridges, who is coming off a down year in Brooklyn in his first full season with the Nets since he arrived in the Kevin Durant trade.

Bridges averaged 19.6 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.0 steals per game while shooting 43.6% from the field and 37.2% from the three-point range in 82 games.

Hartenstein left this offseason for an offer — three-year, $87 million, from Oklahoma City Thunder which the Knicks could not match due to his early Bird Rights.

Shaq Not Sold on Villanova Knicks Hype

While the Knicks front office believes they are now closer to a championship after the Bridges trade and re-signing Anunoby, TNT’s “Inside the NBA” analyst Shaquille O’Neal, a four-time NBA champ, thinks the opposite.

“You know what it is? New York is a place that’s built on hype. That controls the hype,” O’Neal said on “The Big Podcast” on July 27. “They can hype everybody else up. They haven’t won [expletive] but ‘Oohh, New York, New York.’ So [Brunson] can play. I was wrong about him. He’s impressive. But they’re nowhere close to winning a championship. They’re gonna win some games and do this, but I’m more impressed with — at the end of your career — how many championships you won.”

The Knicks were the second seed in the East last season, winning 50 games for the first time since 2013. But they lost to the Indiana Pacers in seven games in the second round.