Kings add depth, ink Achiuwa to 1-year contract

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Kings add depth, ink Achiuwa to 1-year contract

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The Kings agreed to a one-year veteran minimum deal with free agent center Precious Achiuwa on Tuesday, adding some needed frontcourt depth to a struggling team.

In a corresponding move to generate roster space, the Kings released second-year center Isaac Jones, opting for a more veteran presence to bolster their rotation.

Achiuwa is in his sixth NBA season. He was drafted by the Miami Heat in 2020 but delivered his most production during a three-season run in Toronto, averaging 8.9 points and 6.1 rebounds in 21.6 minutes during his Raptors tenure, which spanned 153 games.

Achiuwa was sent to the New York Knicks as part of the OG Anunoby trade in December 2023, re-signed as a free agent in the summer of 2024 and served as a capable bench option much of the previous two seasons. Achiuwa appeared in 17 playoff games for the Knicks, starting twice.

Former Raptors player gets vital chance to reignite NBA career

I wrote a couple of pieces about ex-Raptors big man Precious Achiuwa over the offseason after I noticed he wasn’t gaining any traction in free agency. That is, until news broke that he signed a non-guaranteed training camp deal with the Miami Heat, which I described as the Kyle Lowry trade coming full circle in a somewhat ironic way.

However, that reunion in South Beach proved to be short-lived, as he was let go before the start of the 2025-26 season. In the aftermath, I was even planning to write a piece suggesting that Achiuwa might need to reinvent himself or consider playing overseas to get his NBA career back on track. But I was proven wrong in my assumption that Achiuwa was no longer seen as worthy of a roster spot, as the Sacramento Kings signed him off free agency on November 4.