Precious Achiuwa’s gamble on a one-year minimum deal is paying off in Sacramento. The 26-year-old forward delivered 20 points and 11 rebounds on Sunday as the Kings beat Utah, marking their fourth victory in five games. After joining the club in November following his release from Miami, Achiuwa has started regularly, logging 9.2 points and 6.3 boards across 61 appearances while shooting 53.5 percent. Set to enter free agency again this summer, he said he hopes to re-sign with the Kings, noting that the city, front office, coaches and teammates have “embraced” him.
Another recent arrival, guard Killian Hayes, parlayed two 10-day contracts into a two-year agreement on Sunday. The former lottery pick, who spent most of the past two seasons out of the NBA, has quickly claimed a rotation spot. “This is what I’ve been working for all year to get back in the league,” Hayes told reporters, adding that he is “super grateful” to remain with Sacramento.
Veteran wing DeMar DeRozan, rumored as a possible trade candidate before the deadline, stayed put and has since ignited the offense. He erupted for a season-high 41 points Sunday, drawing praise from head coach Doug Christie, who compared DeRozan’s reliability to a “comfy blanket.”
Before Sunday’s matchup, Christie once again dismissed any suggestion of tanking. He argued that intentionally losing hinders young players’ development and pointed out that Dallas won last year’s lottery after defeating Sacramento in the play-in tournament.
Source: Hoops Rumors
