The New York Knicks exercised the $1.8 million team option on center Mitchell Robinson for next season, the team announced on Saturday.
The move maintained Knicks’ large cap space that can reach roughly $53 million entering Monday’s free agency depending on what they do with their free agents.
Robinson will become an unrestricted free agent next summer if the Knicks and his camp cannot agree on a contract extension until the end of next season. The 23-year old center is coming off a pair of serious injuries that limited him to a career-low 31 games last season. He is eligible to sign a four-year extension worth $51 million, according to ESPN’s NBA front office insider Bobby Marks.
Meanwhile, backup center Norvel Pelle, who joined the Knicks late in the season, was waived. Pelle signed a non-guaranteed $2.2 million, two-year deal after his second 10-day contract expired. This move came on the heels of the Knicks selecting Texas Longhorn’s athletic big man Jericho Sims at the backend of the NBA Draft.
On another note, today is the trigger date that guarantees Julius Randle’s $19.8 million salary. The Knicks can tender a four-year $106 million extension this offseason. But Randle can opt for a shorter deal or play out this season for a possible larger payday next summer.
Randle is coming off a career season where he became a first-time NBA All-Star and capped it off with the Most Improved Player award, and a spot in the All-NBA second team.
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