Knicks’ Precious Achiuwa decision could have Isaiah Hartenstein implications
By Stefan Bondy,
2024-06-29
The Knicks picked up the contract option of one big man and sent another one into unrestricted free agency .
Precious Achiuwa, who served as a capable frontcourt injury replacement last season, didn’t receive a qualifying offer from the Knicks by Saturday’s deadline, a source confirmed.
The move doesn’t completely rule out Achiuwa’s re-signing in the summer but the Knicks gave up their matching rights.
It would be a surprise if Achiuwa comes back.
It was also a potential symbol that the Knicks are still pursuing Isaiah Hartenstein .
Isaiah Hartenstein meeting with Thunder as Knicks face uphill climb to keep him
Giving Achiuwa the $6.3 million qualifying offer would’ve hurt the team’s financial flexibility toward re-signing Hartenstein.
Achuiwa, who was acquired from the Raptors as the secondary piece in the trade involving OG Anunoby last season, averaged 7.6 points and 6.6 rebounds last season.
He filled in as a starter for stretches following the injuries to Julius Randle and Anunoby, displaying a higher aptitude for rebounding than at his previous stops in Toronto and Miami.
Achiuwa went to high school in NYC after immigrating from Nigeria.
76ers optimistic about landing Paul George in NBA free agency
In another move involving a center, the Knicks picked up Jericho Sims’ $2.1 million option for next season, a source told The Post.
His deal is still only partially guaranteed with two trigger dates until becoming fully guaranteed later in the summer.
Sims, 25, a second-round pick of the Knicks in 2021, is among the most athletic centers in the NBA and participated in the 2023 Slam Dunk contest.
Nevertheless, he hasn’t yet developed an offensive game other than dunks and has to learn to avoid fouling.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR STARTING LINEUP NEWSLETTER
Scouts are impressed with his upside as an athlete.
Sims started several games last year after the injury to Mitchell Robinson, but quickly suffered an ankle sprain that pushed Hartenstein into the lineup.
Sims was in and out of the rotation after that.
In other housekeeping moves a day before free agency, the Knicks extended a two-way qualifying offer to Jacob Toppin, the brother of Obi.
They did not extend offers to Duane Washington Jr. and Charlie Brown Jr. They also declined the team option of Daquan Jeffries.
For the latest in sports, top headlines, breaking news and more, visit nypost.com/sports/
Most Popular
It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency:
Our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. As a platform hosting over 100,000 pieces of content published daily, we cannot pre-vet content, but we strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation.