Massive Knicks injury update is game-changer for team's thin depth

The New York Knicks have made it a fourth of the way through the season without their two top defensive big men. Mitchell Robinson is still recovering from his ankle surgery in May, while Precious Achiuwa strained his hamstring in the preseason.

The team's defense isn't what it was last season, but that was expected after the Knicks lost Isaiah Hartenstein and traded for Karl-Anthony Towns. The latter has elevated New York's offense, and while his defense has improved, he's also part of the reason the Knicks have one of the worst defenses in the league. KAT isn't a rim protector.

The Knicks have been heavily criticized for their defense the past couple of months, but as mentioned, they're without Robinson and Achiuwa. The former hopes to return by Christmas but hasn't been cleared for basketball activities. It's good that Achiuwa is expected to return before the month ends. In fact, he could return before mid-December.

Tom Thibodeau says Precious Achiuwa could return in the next week

Achiuwa arrived in New York last December as part of the OG Anunoby trade. He went from being overlooked to being in the rotation. He came in clutch as the Knicks' injuries stacked up. Achiuwa impressed the organization enough to re-sign on a one-year, six-million deal over the summer.

Unfortunately, he was hit by the injury bug this season. His return has taken longer than most fans suspected, but hamstring injuries are tricky. It's not easy to bounce back from one. If Achuwa does return within the week, he'll have been sidelined for nearly two months.

It should take a few games for Achiuwa to reacclimate himself, but he'll provide a significant boost off the bench. Jericho Sims has been the primary backup center, and his defense has improved drastically. Tom Thibodeau has run an eight-man rotation in most of the Knicks' games, so Achiuwa's return doesn't necessarily mean Sims will be booted from the rotation.

New York's schedule for next week isn't finalized, as it will depend on tonight's NBA Cup games. If the Knicks advance past group play, Achiuwa may return for the knockout round. Either way, having him back in the lineup will be nice.