SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Relocated across the country, Precious Achiuwa said he’s in a role better suited to his playing style and it’s unfair to judge the aptitude of a Knicks bench last season that was ranked last in both points scored and minutes played.
“I don’t think we had a bad bench. You could never say the bench is not good if you don’t play the bench. How are you supposed to know that?” Achiuwa, who signed with the Kings in November, said in an interview with The Post.
Achiuwa, 26, was an important contributor to the Knicks after joining via trade in 2023, logging heavy minutes at power forward following a shoulder injury to Julius Randle. The highlight was a 17-game midseason stretch when Achiuwa averaged 12.7 points and 9.8 rebounds in 37 minutes. The Garden showered appreciation.
Then Achiuwa re-signed in the summer of 2024 for $6 million, but suffered a hamstring strain in preseason and was in and out of Tom Thibodeau’s rotation before being yanked almost entirely in the playoffs.