The New York Knicks will be in the market for frontcourt depth this season as they have dealt with some injuries in that area. In particular, Mitchell Robinson has been a name mentioned in trade rumors thanks to a lengthy injury history and a decent-sized contract.
The Knicks could target Jonas Valanciunas
Jed Katz of Sports Illustrated suggested that the Knicks should trade Robinson to acquire Washington Wizards center Jonas Valanciunas. The 32-year-old signed with Washington was a free agent this past offseason and there’s an expectation that he will be sought after by contenders.
“The Knicks should eye Valanciunas and try to swing a trade for a more durable big. Out of a possible 466 regular-season games across six seasons, Robinson has appeared in just 320. Valanciunas played all 82 regular-season games last season and hasn’t played less than 62 regular-season games since 2019,” Katz wrote.
Valanciunas would be a strong backup behind Karl-Anthony Towns
Valanciunas is a 12-year NBA veteran who has been a serviceable offensive presence for most of his career. This season, he is averaging 12.1 points and 7.7 rebounds off the bench for Washington while shooting 58% from the floor.
He would be a strong backup behind Karl-Anthony Towns, and his offensive versatility makes him a viable option to play alongside Towns. Valanciunas doesn’t take a lot of threes but he has the ability to knock them down, as he shoots 34.7% from beyond the arc for his career.
- Knicks land key depth pieces in three-team mock trade
- NBA analyst supports Knicks for robbing the Timberwolves in Karl-Anthony Towns trade
- Does the Knicks’ core have enough experience to battle adversity for a deep playoff run?
Robinson has been unable to stay healthy with the Knicks
Losing Robinson would sacrifice a ton of defensive identity for the Knicks as he is the team’s anchor in the paint, but it would get them off an injury-prone center who is limited offensively. He is one of the best shot blockers in the NBA and arguably the best offensive rebounder, but all of that means very little if he can’t stay on the court.
Robinson has dealt with several lower-body injuries throughout his career, and is currently recovering from offseason ankle surgery. He is also making roughly $15 million per year, so moving on from him can help the Knicks use their financial resources to players that are more durable.
As the season progresses, the Knicks will likely look to add in the frontcourt, and Valanciunas could be one of the centers on their wishlist by the time the trade deadline nears.
