New York Knicks did not extend a qualifying offer to Precious Achiuwa before Saturday’s deadline, as first reported by The Athletic.
The big man is set to become an unrestricted free agent. Achiuwa’s qualifying offer was valued at $6.3 million, and while New York hasn’t ruled out re-signing him, they opted not to risk their salary-cap flexibility by offering him a straightforward one-year deal at that rate.
Following their blockbuster trade for Mikal Bridges, the Knicks head into free agency with uncertainties surrounding their center rotation. Will they manage to retain unrestricted free agent Isaiah Hartenstein? Could Hartenstein’s return prompt a trade involving Mitchell Robinson? If one departs, will they pursue a replacement? Might Achiuwa still fit into those plans?
The Knicks did NOT extend the $6.3M qualifying offer to Precious Achiuwa, league sources said. Knicks have not ruled out bringing Achiuwa back, but if he picked up the QO, it would eat into their hard cap situation a lot.
— Fred Katz (@FredKatz) June 29, 2024
The outcome remains uncertain, especially with details of the Bridges trade still pending. Since the deal won’t finalize until after the free-agency moratorium, there’s potential for expansion. Expanding would be advantageous for the front office, given the current setup severely limits their spending capacity this season.
Under the NBA’s new collective bargaining agreement, because the Knicks are taking on more salary than they’re sending out in the Bridges deal, they’re hard-capped at $178.7 million (the first apron). However, expanding—perhaps by trading Robinson or orchestrating a sign-and-trade involving Achiuwa—would set their hard cap at $189.5 million (the second apron), providing approximately $11 million in additional spending flexibility.
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