Knicks dealt Precious Achiuwa injury blow right before start of season

The Knicks’ depth ꦆtook a hit Sunda꧑y, and they weren’t deep to begin with. 

Precious Achiuwa is dealing with a strained left hamstring injury and will miss 2-4 weeks, the tea🌳m announced — two days before the K🧸nicks are set to start the regular season at defending champion Boston. 

The 6-foot-8 Achiuwa suffered the injury in Friday’s preseason game against the Wizards. Losing Achiuwa is a significan🌞t hit to the Knicks, who are already short on depth. 

He was set to be one of their top reserves, along with Miles McBride. Another projected bench player, Landry Shamet, suffered a dislocated shoulder and was waived on Saturday.

By doing so, the Knಌicks decided against guaranteeing 𓃲him a contract while waiting for him to rehab the injury. 

For now, the bench will likely look like McBride, Cam Payne and either Jericho Sims or Ariel Hukporti. Rookie Tyler Kolek could also figure into the rotꦉation. But that group is very small, in need of help up front. 

The Knicks currently have 12 players on guaranteed contracts ahead of Tuesday’s opener against the Celtics. Teams are allowed to have fewer than 14 on their roster for no more than 28 total days during the regular sea﷽son and 14 consecutive days at any time. 

The Knicks are about $3.58 million below the second salary cap apron, so they have flexibility to add a player. Free agents Marcus Morris Sr. and Lonnie Walker IV could 🐎be options. 

They✱ 🐷certainly could use a forward after this news. 

Jalen Brunson has been encouraged by how the Knicks have handled the preseason hꦿype.

They enter the season with championship expectations, but that hasn’t changed theirꦏ work habits. 

“I like the mindset of us not being complacent regardless of what people say about us or anything,” he said. “Just focus on each other, focus on getting better, take it one day at a time really. … Everyone works hard, everyone comes in, does the work. There’s no one saying anything about the outside. No one’s worrying ab🐷out the expectation of what people are saying. From my point of view, it looks like we’re not complacent. We want to get better every day.”