Knicks final month stock watch: 2 risers, 2 fallers
Riser: Precious Achiuwa
Maybe moving back to New York, his home in the United States, has something to do with Precious Achiuwa's breakout. Receiving him in the Anunoby trade was a slight bonus but nothing major. He's proven to be far more than fans expected him to be.
"Just being able to come back home and represent the city means a lot to me. I just want to say thank you, New York City - I love you guys." -Precious Achiuwa#NewYorkForever | @nyknicks | @RebeccaHaarlow pic.twitter.com/N7pLIos0Av
— KNICKS ON MSG (@KnicksMSGN) March 9, 2024
Since the trade, he's averaging 9.0 points (short of his career-high of 9.2 points), a career-best 7.7 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per game, shooting 52.7% from the field. In the 18 games he started with Anunoby sidelined, he averaged 12.5 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks per contest. In his first game coming back off the bench on Tuesday against Philly, he finished with 13 points (6-of-8 from the field) and eight rebounds in 24 minutes.
Achiuwa's aggression and toughness have stood out. He'll be a restricted free agent over the summer and has made quite the case to stay in New York.