(Photo via Sun Sentinel)
Early on Wednesday, ESPN’s Shams Charania broke the news on the Miami Heat and free agent big Precious Achiuwa agreeing to a one-year deal. It will be a reunion for the former 2020 Heat first-round draft pick with Achiuwa, as Pat Riley and the front office ultimately address their backup center hole prior to the start of the upcoming 2025-26 campaign.
In Achiuwa’s lone rookie season in Miami, the 6-foot-8 big averaged just 5.0 points, 3.4 rebounds and 0.5 blocks on 54% shooting across 61 appearances.
He would then go on to be traded, along with Heat Legend Goran Dragic, in the summer of 2021 to bring in Kyle Lowry. In his career stops after the Heat in stints with the Toronto Raptors and New York Knicks, those numbers have increased since to 8.2 points, 6.2 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 0.7 blocks per game.
However, his entire five-year career has consisted of being in a bench role.
From 2020-2025, his stats per 36 minutes include an encouraging 10.9 points, 9.0 rebounds, 1.2 blocks and 1.2 steals. At the age of 26, Achiuwa has still had that athletic burst on display in recent years as a backup. He remains a serviceable option for what this Heat roster desperately needed, and is familiar with the system here.
His one-year deal is also non-guaranteed— per the Miami Herald. So it won’t have any impact on Miami’s salary cap or tax implications.
The Miami Heat’s updated and likely final 15-man 2025-26 roster:
- PG: Herro, Mitchell, Rozier, Jakucionis
- SG: Powell, Smith, Larsson
- SF: Wiggins, Jaquez Jr., Fontecchio
- PF: Adebayo, Jovic, Johnson
- C: Ware, Achiuwa
For the Heat to address a long overdue question mark in their depth chart— which had some of the media talking about a three-man frontcourt rotation of Bam Adebayo, Kel’el Ware, and Nikola Jovic— the Achiuwa signing was a home run.
He rejoins the franchise that had drafted him on a team friendly deal, and provides a needed body to support Adebayo and Ware down low. Despite being an undersized big, Achiuwa has plenty of bounce, and length, with his 7-foot-2 wingspan.
It provides much more clarity in terms of players knowing their roles across the roster, especially at full strength once Tyler Herro returns from his offseason ankle injury come mid-November.
The biggest thing in addressing some big man depth comes with the hopeful leap from Jovic. He can now man down a much more comfortable forward position in coach Erik Spoelstra’s lineups as a natural ball handler and playmaker.
Additionally, Adebayo can continue to get more reps at his preferred power forward slot.
With the Heat’s new season right around the corner, it feels good to see things through after Achiuwa’s return, with what is now likely to be the team’s official 15-man roster.
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This team is definitely better than last years team. And Precious fits in an area of need that will ease the burden on several around him. I look forward to the season now. But, keeping it real, this team is still just one trade away now from battling beyond the first round. And we have the assets and could bring in a player who could put us right into serious contention.
I do get frustrated because it’s so doable, and so obviously needed. But, maybe my prayers will be answered. Only a week ago I was begging for someone like Precious. Come on Pat,….package Ty with JJJ and maybe a pick and get another player, a player ranked in the sixties to nineties of the rankings, 6’7” to 6’9”, a wing like two wayer, something totally reasonable, and salary appropriate.
I assure you we will only strengthen ourselves, not weaken ourselves at all. Do that one move and we win fifty games. Come on Pat, we need one more taste of that old magic. I promise I won’t ask for more.
Kamara of Portland, Miller of Charlotte, Washington of Dallas, McDaniels of Minny, are four examples, there are others too. Could go 6’10” to find the right player.
I know the organization likes Herro. Buuuut, he may not be a bargain at anything over 3 years/$105M ($35M per season). They can trade him this year or pay/lose him after next season.
Right. And that’s part of why I proposed this move. But, even if his upcoming salary situation wasn’t complicated, I still think he should be moved and used to attract a player in a greater area of need. My thinking is that Herro’s recent injury may show us that we are in good shape without him at guard, with Powell, Mitchell, Dru, and Terry. Adding JJJ to the trade also makes sense, while he has perceived upside, which after this year may not be as much the case. And you needed a sweetener because despite Ty being a former all star, the league is well aware of his contract, his injury history, and his defensive liabilities, and though he has value, it’s not as high as one would assume for a player ranked in the top sixties. Hopefully, we wouldn’t need to add a second also to bring back one of the type wings I mentioned, and maybe we could pry that player loose from a team that does not have playoff ambitions in 25-26.
I have a few ideas who the Heat might go after, but I’ll reserve comment until we see how preseason shakes out. If Rozier has his mojo back, that offers another variable to the equation. Which teams need scorers and what can they offer in return? Houston, Utah, Sacramento, Lakers, T’wolves, Detroit, New Orleans?
I look forward to hearing your ideas.
Means nothing…big fat nothing burger. OBVIOUSLY should’ve drafted Maxey.
It really wasn’t that obvious at the time.
Unfortunately, he did not live up to expectations and Maxey turned out to be a far better player. Remember, too, that Giannis was passed up 14 times. And when the Heat chose Beasley at #2, they missed out on Westbrook, Love, and Brook Lopez amongst others. It stinks, but it happens. In basketball, it was Sam Bowie chosen before Jordan. In baseball, it was the Red Sox sending Babe Ruth to the Yankees.
Whiff! Really…no kidding. Missed the point by a mile…attempt at history unnecessary.
Did I miss the point? I just took what you wrote at face value. 1) Getting Precious now is an ok but underwhelming move. 2) Missing out on Maxey immediately turned out to be an unfortunate miss, but Precious was a reasonable choice at 20 in that draft.
So if I missed the point, my bad.
As a follow up to the Giannis reference, some of the players chosen before him were Anthony Bennett #1, Otto Porter Jr #3, Zeller 4, Len 5, Noel 6, and others. Seems crazy now in retrospect.