Precious Achiuwas $6 million Knicks gamble has chance for huge payoff

At some point in his long free agency, Precious Achiuwa understood it became a “numbers game.” The Knicks were navigating around the luxury tax, restructuring their roster with restrictive salary cap aprons in mind.And Achiuwa waited to re-sign on July 30, nearly a full month after free agency started.“If I wanted to be somewhere else,” Achiuwa said, “I would not be here.”In the end, Achiuwa didn’t get the big contract from the Knicks, or anywhere else.His one-year, $6 million deal translates to a gamble on himself, even if Achiuwa was forced into the wager because the free-agent market wasn’t exactly robust.In New York, he’ll certainly have an opportunity to cash in.With the departure of Isaiah Hartenstein and indefinite absence of Mitchell Robinson, Achiuwa should enter the season as the Knicks’ first frontcourt player off the bench.

At 6-foot-8, he’s better suited for power forward — which is Tom Thibodeau’s preferred position for Achiuwa — but the lack of center depth means the 25-year-old undoubtedly will see time at the 5.He was forced into action there last season with injuries to Robinson and Hartenstein.“I know I’m versatile.Playing the power forward, the center, the versatility of my game stands out the most,” Achiuwa said, “and last year I was able to show a lot of people that I was able to do a lot of different things.”Still, Achiuwa was happy that the Karl-Anthony Towns acquisition meant he’s less needed at center.

Achiuwa’s stated preference is power forward, where he filled in last season for Julius Randle.“Hopefully [Towns] will help me play more of the 4,” Achiuwa said.“But it doesn’t really matter.”Towns plugged the roster’s biggest hole at center but there remain questions over whether the Knicks can hang with bigger frontcourts.

Their starting power forward is OG Anunoby, who is 6-7, or Josh Hart, who is 6-4, and the backups for two spots are really only Achiuwa and Jericho Sims.Robinson’...