Mitchell Robinson, the longest-tenured Knick, is drawing googly eyes from suitors in free agency, and recent reports suggest a return to New York is increasingly unlikely.
Robinson has been with the organization since New York selected him with the 36th pick in the 2018 NBA Draft. Eight years later, he finally helped deliver the franchise’s first championship in more than five decades. If his time in New York is over, it will mark the end of an almost Dickensian rags-to-riches tale.
The NBA’s salary cap complicates things for New York, which appears to be keen on keeping him. Mitch (or the Blockness Monster, if you like) is an unrestricted free agent. The Knicks are operating under a mandate from team owner Jim Dolan to stay below the second apron.
The apron severely limits roster-building flexibility through restrictions on trades, free agency, and future draft management. Because of that, New York simply cannot match the type of offer another team puts forth without making a Sophie’s Choice between Mitch and Landry Shamet. ShamWow played a terrific season for New York, was clutch during their historic playoff run, and now would also like a fair contract, thank you very much.
Several teams have already been linked to Robinson. The Brooklyn Nets (now with more Julius Randle!) reportedly have legitimate interest, while the Los Angeles Lakers (still with all that LeBron energy) are also viewed as a potential destination. Sacramento has been mentioned as another logical landing spot, particularly with former Knicks executive Scott Perry running the Kings’ front office. Regarding that last one: it is hard to believe that Mitch would leave the championship glory of NYC for the hinterlands of the NBA, but money is money, honey.
In New York, Karl-Anthony Towns is the starting center. Robinson is an elite backup who closes plenty of games, but he isn’t guaranteed starter’s minutes. Elsewhere? He could walk into a starting job. That’s an enticing recruiting pitch, especially when those teams also have considerably more financial flexibility than the Knicks.
Losing Robinson would sting for reasons beyond nostalgia. The Knicks watched Isaiah Hartenstein leave for Oklahoma City when the Thunder outbid them (and OKC just doubled down on its investment in him, so no buyer’s remorse there). Watching another elite defensive center leave because another team can simply offer more money would be one to file under “maddening.”
To be fair, there are reasons New York may be reluctant to hand Robinson another lengthy, expensive contract. At a freshly celebrated 28 years old, he has battled injuries throughout his career. Ankle problems, foot injuries, hand fractures, knee issues, and assorted ailments have cost him well over 250 regular-season games since entering the league. Even after appearing in 60 games during the championship season, durability remains one of the biggest questions surrounding his future. Big men age in dog years, remember.
That makes a long-term, high-dollar commitment difficult, particularly for a team already facing the apron constraint. If the big Cajun departs, the Knicks’ in-house depth chart becomes straightforward: 1) Karl-Anthony Towns. 2) Ariel Hukporti…and not much else. Maybe they recommit to Trey Jemison? He has beastly dimensions (6’10”, 270 lbs.) but has yet to prove he’s more than a scrimmage player in the league.
The organization clearly likes Hukporti. The 24-year-old showed flashes of solid play throughout the season and even handled short playoff stints without becoming dizzy from the spotlight. His mobility, rim protection, and energy have given the Knicks reason to believe there’s real upside. He has also looked exactly like what he is at times: a young center still learning NBA basketball.
Whether Leon Rose & Co. believes Huk can contribute 18-22 meaningful minutes every night may determine how aggressively it tries to cling to Mitch—or pursue another veteran.
It’s telling, perhaps, that the Knicks didn’t seem particularly concerned on draft night. They momentarily acquired young center Ugonna Onyenso, who might develop into a fine NBA center, before immediately flipping him to Detroit for cash considerations. That tells us Leon and Wes did not feel desperate to add another developmental big.
If Robinson walks, a few veteran names have surfaced. One who is high on the radar is Nick Richards, who finished the season with Chicago and is now an unrestricted free agent. He is a clean fit because he does not need touches, protects the rim, and operates well as a roller. The front office liked him in the past, and he could be acquired while remaining under the second-apron threshold.
What remains of Kevon Looney might offer championship experience and meet the general criteria on paper, but the word on the street is that he’s mostly cooked and certainly would not be a long-term solution. Other targets floating around the market include Robert “Time Lord” Williams and Marvin Bagley III. These guys all feel more like contingency plans, no?
If Robinson ultimately signs elsewhere, Banner Night will be bittersweet. He will forever be remembered as one of the franchise’s great homegrown success stories and a key contributor to a championship. Hell, everybody loves him—his hometown in Louisiana held a parade for him on Friday. But from a basketball operations standpoint, his departure would immediately force the brass into Plan B . . . or C . . . or D. . . .
So, let’s use this space to chat about it this weekend, family. What would you do? Do you trust Hukporti in a larger role? Would you pursue Richards, Looney, Time Lord, or another veteran? Or would you prioritize finding Robinson’s long-term successor another way? Air it out in the comments below.
Go Knicks.
