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Heat bring back big man Precious Achiuwa


The Miami Heat signed former first-round pick center/forward Precious Achiuwa and released rookie guard Gabe Madsen on Thursday.

A first-round pick (20th overall) by Miami in 2020 out of Memphis, Achiuwa was traded to the Toronto Raptors in August 2021 and spent the past season and a half with the New York Knicks, who acquired him in December 2023.

Achiuwa gives the Heat more interior size to complement All-Star center Bam Adebayo. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Achiuwa, 26, averaged 6.6 points, 5.6 rebounds and 20.5 minutes in 57 games (10 starts) for the Knicks last season. He has career averages of 7.6 points and 5.7 boards in 320 games (72 starts).

The Heat had signed Madsen, who played the past four seasons at the University of Utah, on Sept. 11.