The Toronto Raptors took a considerable risk in pulling off the Kyle Lowry sign-and-trade with the Miami Heat, as former first-round pick Precious Achiuwa represents the crown jewel of Masai Ujiri’s return package. Having turned 23 yesterday on September 19, Achiuwa has been viewed as a long-term developmental piece.
In his first few months with the Raptors, one would be very hard-pressed to describe him as a player that was going to be worth anything in Toronto’s postseason run. That all changed after the All-Star break, as Achiuwa was much more willing to let it rip from 3-point range.
Achiuwa is going into the season with the expectation that he is going to be one of the first men off the bench in a pivotal year for Toronto. He may be kicking off his third season, but Toronto still expects more improvement from him on both ends of the floor.
The Raptors need to ensure Achiuwa hits these three milestones at some point in the 2022-23 season. More than just an exciting player to fool around with, Achiuwa has quickly become someone that the Raptors are willing to instill in their long-term rotation plan.
3 goals Precious Achiuwa needs to reach for the Toronto Raptors.
3. Average one steal or block per game.
Achiuwa was going to use his defense to muscle his way into the rotation early in his career, as his ability to stick on the perimeter as a 6-8 forward is genuinely impressive. He doesn’t lack confidence in his defensive ability, and his next step forward in that area might be in the turnover department.
Achiuwa averaged 0.5 steals and 0.6 blocks per game, though he could easily pump those numbers up in a Raptors offense that requires active hands. Achiuwa recorded multiple steals in five games last year and multiple blocks (punctuated by a career-best four against Boston) in nine games.
Precious Achiuwa can get even better on defense.
Achiuwa has already defended names like LeBron James and Nikola Jokic with some level of aplomb, though the key to becoming genuinely elite starts with his ability to protect the rim. Nurse is asking a lot of him in terms of switching so frequently, but he wouldn’t put this on his plate if he didn’t think Precious could do it.
Achiuwa has shown that he can be a turnover generator if you catch him on the right day. With Gary Trent Jr. adding the ability to deflect and steal passes to his repertoire, Achiuwa is more than capable of becoming Nurse’s next impact pet project.
2. Average 40% from 3-point range
Achiuwa was a square peg being forced into a round hole early in his Raptors career, as he was used more like a rim-runner that attacks the rim. The second half of the season showed that Achiuwa is more of a pick-and-pop perimeter sniper. Nurse finally realizing where he is best helped key his breakout.
Achiuwa nailed 39% of his 3-pointers after the All-Star break, taking around four attempts per game in that span. 40% is by no means a lofty goal for Achiuwa, who is currently showing that even someone with no experience as a shooter can thrive under this coaching staff.
Toronto Raptors: Precious Achiuwa became a tremendous shooter.
Achiuwa will not be handed double-digit shot attempts per game, so he must make them count. While it seems like a waste to put someone with his springiness and verticality out on the perimeter all day long, he was clearly much more confident as a shooter than he was as a traditional post player or rim-attacker.
Achiuwa attempted just one 3-pointer during his time with the Heat, and the early returns from deep in college at Memphis were less than encouraging. If he improved that much on the fly with Toronto, imagine what he has become after an entire offseason of work.
1. Average 10 points per game
Achiuwa managed to inflate his scoring average near the end of the year, averaging 12.2 points per game after the All-Star break. Even on a fully healthy team that added the perpetually underrated Otto Porter Jr. in the offseason, Achiuwa should be afforded enough opportunities to make himself known offensively.
After the All-Star break, Achiuwa had seven games in which he averaged at least 18 points per game. Remember that those numbers came on a team that ran a very tight rotation in a playoff race with five starters that all required a steady diet of shots. More of the same from Achiuwa could be a difference-maker.
Precious Achiuwa must score more for the Toronto Raptors.
Achiuwa was a roller-coaster in terms of how willing he was to shoot the ball. After coming to Toronto with too quick of a trigger as a spot-starter, some games in the middle of the year saw him play so passively that it was detrimental. Finding the right balance will be key.
Masai Ujiri will always take a risk on players that have the physical traits he likes to see, and his gamble on Achiuwa has already brought Toronto a damn good defender and improving scorer. Don’t be surprised for one second if Achiuwa’s scoring takes a considerable leap forward.