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Miami Heat Looking to Reunite with Precious Achiuwa?
Apr 8, 2021; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat forward Precious Achiuwa (5) blocks the shot of Los Angeles Lakers guard Wesley Matthews (9) during the second half at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images

It was recently reported by Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel that the Miami Heat are in contact with former player Precious Achiuwa. The Heat originally drafted Achiuwa in the first round of the 2020 NBA Draft but traded him, along with Goran Dragić, to the Toronto Raptors in the deal for Kyle Lowry. In his lone season with Miami, Achiuwa averaged 5.0 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 0.5 assists across 61 games. Since then, he has spent time with both Toronto and the New York Knicks before hitting free agency this offseason.

Miami currently has a clear need in the frontcourt. Outside of Bam Adebayo and Kel’el Ware, their depth at the “big” position consists of rookie Vladislav Goldin, Nikola Jović and Keshad Johnson, who don’t fit the traditional mold the Heat are looking for. Achiuwa wouldn’t be a game-changer but could provide defensive depth at the back end of the roster. Offensively, however, he has struggled, evidenced by the Knicks being six points worse per 100 possessions when he was on the floor over the last two seasons.

In many ways, the idea of adding Achiuwa is similar to the idea surrounding Kai Jones: a low risk move with limited expectations. Signing Achiuwa would enable the Miami Heat to stay under the luxury tax (if signed later in the season, unless Terry Rozier is bought out), which is the goal for the Heat while filling out the back end of their rotation.

Still, there is no urgency here. Miami has shown a willingness to play small ball in the past, and with their current mix of versatile players, they appear ready to lean into that approach again. Other available options such as Kai Jones, DeAndre Jordan, or Trey Lyles don’t move the needle either, so patience makes sense.

For now, while there may be some smoke around a potential Achiuwa reunion, it’s not a move worth reading too deeply into. If it happens, his role would likely be limited to depth insurance rather than someone who changes the nightly rotation. That said, the Heat aren’t ruling anything out, and keeping options open for later in the season makes sense. For now, though, the focus remains on the players already in place.

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This article first appeared on Miami Heat on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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