Precious Achiuwa isn’t going to sell himself short.
There’s a quiet confidence that emanates from the Toronto Raptors’ 6-foot-8 forward. He knows he’s special, the kind of versatile forward with raw skills to be a true NBA difference maker. He’s quick enough to step out on the perimeter and defend some of the league’s best guards and big enough to take on the league’s toughest bigs.
“I think I'm one of the best defenders in the league,” Achiuwa said following Toronto’s final preseason game. “I've guarded All-Stars, MVPs in the past and I think I’ve done a pretty decent job defending them.”
But four seasons into his NBA career, Achiuwa remains a bit of a mystery. He battled through inconsistent, often disappointing play last season while recovering from an ankle injury, and for all the impressive highs, there were as many disappointing lows.
That’s what makes a contract extension for Achiuwa so difficult. Monday is the deadline for Toronto to negotiate a rookie-scale extension with 24-year-old Nigerian but what’s a fair number for the two sides to agree on?
For comparison, Washington’s Deni Avdija just signed a four-year, $55 million contract, essentially the value of the non-taxpayer mid-level exception next season. Achiuwa would be in his right to argue he’s a more valuable, more accomplished player than Avdija at this point. And yet, if it’s more than the mid-level, Toronto likely isn’t in a rush to sign the deal. If the Raptors offer less, though, Achiuwa is unlikely to say yes.
What’s clear, though, is Achiuwa sees this year as an important one. It’s his opportunity to prove himself as a valuable rotation player off the bench and someone who can develop into one of the league’s premiere versatile players on both sides of the ball.
“I think one of the strengths of my game is being able to get to the basket, probably the strongest part of my game offensively,” he said last week. “Just the ability to get to the basket quickly, athletically, and with strength, and finishing as well.”
He showed that against Washington, not only shutting down Jordan Poole for multiple defensive possessions, but Achiuwa flashing that offensive burst by working a dribble-handoff with Pascal Siakam and flushing a powerful layup off the dribble.
“I'm impressed with him and I'm seeing that every single day,” Raptors coach Darko Rajaković said of Achiuwa. “Every practice and every time that he touches the floor, he's just like making winning plays. And for me, that's no surprise.”
There’s risk to a deal for both parties. Toronto has obviously liked Achiuwa for a long time. The organization sought him out as the key return in the Kyle Lowry sign-and-trade with the Miami Heat and Raptors president Masai Ujiri made a point of saying he was trying to pursue Achiuwa. That said, he’s yet to prove he’s anything more than an inconsistent project with potentially tantalizing upside.
What’s he worth? The best bet is the answer probably comes next summer after both sides get a little more info on who Achiuwa actually is.
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