Raptors continue fleecing Heat as Precious Achiuwa stars, Kyle Lowry struggles

The Toronto Raptors knew they were taking quite a significant risk when they sent Kyle Lowry away to the Miami Heat in exchange for a package headlined by toolsy forward Precious Achiuwa. He has been a roller coaster, but the overall results with Achiuwa in the fold have been encouraging.

While he ended the 2021-22 season on a high note, Achiuwa struggled mightily to begin 2022-23 before missing a huge chunk of time with an ankle injury. Since returning from his injury, however, Achiuwa has been nothing short of dominant as both a spot starter and the team’s Sixth Man.

Since a January 10 win against the Hornets, Achiuwa has averaged 14.5 points and 7.1 rebounds per game in just 27 minutes per game. Achiuwa is shooting 57% from the field and 40% from 3-point range while recording only one game in which he wasn’t in double-figures and four double-doubles in his last five games.

Lowry, meanwhile, is looking every bit like a point guard that is going to turn 37 in a few months. Lowry’s full-season stats (12.4 points, 4.4 rebounds, 5.4 assists per game) may not look horrible, but the fact that he is averaging just 6.9 points per game on 37% shooting since December 30 is a very clear sign that bringing him back to Toronto would have been a mistake.

Precious Achiuwa is settling in for the Toronto Raptors.

While Pat Riley’s Heat are always going to be involved in trade rumors, the fact that much of the latest buzz surrounding Miami relates to finding a team will to absorb Lowry’s albatross contract shows just how far his stock has fallen. Toronto made a tough decision, but they seem to be better off for it.

Achiuwa’s biggest flaw was always playing with too much energy. This would cause him to make some mind-numbing turnovers while missing some of the easiest shots you’ve ever seen at the rim. He appears to be closer to permanently fixing that issue.

Now that Achiuwa has settled in offensively, Toronto can start treating him less like a long-term developmental goal and more like a Sixth Man that can help the Raptors eventually get back to the postseason. Lowry’s Heat have a better record, but not because of him.

While Masai Ujiri might go a bit overboard from time to time when it comes to adding versatile forwards, Achiuwa has been one of his greatest success stories. Getting rid of a franchise legend is always hard, but Ujiri handled this perfectly.

With OG Anunoby limited, Achiuwa will need to stay hot.