Precious Achiuwa signs one-year deal with Heat - Hot Hot Hoops

The Miami Heat drafted Precious Achiuwa No. 20 overall in the 2020 NBA Draft. (Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images)

The Miami Heat have signed Precious Achiuwa to a one-year deal, ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania first reported Wednesday.

Free agent C/F Precious Achiuwa has agreed to a one-year deal with the Miami Heat, sources tell ESPN. A reunion for the Heat’s No. 20 pick in the 2020 NBA draft after productive stints in New York and Toronto. pic.twitter.com/QAE1vkuWYX

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 24, 2025

Achiuwa, who turned 26-years-old on Sept. 19, is a familiar face to the organization. Miami drafted the 6-foot-8 big No. 20 overall in the 2020 NBA Draft. He only played one season before getting traded to the Toronto Raptors in the Kyle Lowry sign-and-trade.

Last season with the New York Knicks, Achiuwa averaged 6.6 points and 5.6 rebounds across 20.5 minutes per game. He played in 57 of the team’s 82 games, starting 10 of them.

According to Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald, the Heat are signing him to a one-year non-guaranteed deal — essentially an Exhibit 10 contract. Thus, he won’t put the Heat above the luxury tax threshold, unless he makes the 15-man roster.

However, the Heat will need to cut at least one Exhibit 10 player because Achiuwa puts them over the 21-player limit heading into camp. Those spots are occupied by Gabe Madsen, Dain Dainja, Jahmir Young, Ethan Thompson and Trevor Keels.

It’s a fully non-guaranteed one-year contract for Precious Achiuwa, a source confirms. So no move to the standard roster is needed now to stay under the tax.

But Heat will need to cut one of its Exhibit 10 players to open a spot on its preseason roster for Achiuwa. https://t.co/H9HQDVhGkY

— Anthony Chiang (@Anthony_Chiang) September 24, 2025

Beggars can’t be choosers at this point. Well, I guess they technically can be in this instance. But the Heat desperately needed to address their backup big situation behind Bam Adebayo and Kel’el Ware.

Achiuwa was one of the better backup bigs available on the market, which wasn’t saying much. He hasn’t quite improved his deficiencies (defense, consistency, shooting) over his four seasons, but there’s a world where he can be servicable.

Precious Achiuwa signs one-year deal with Heat – Hot Hot Hoops

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