The New York Knicks have a new starting center for the long haul in Karl-Anthony Towns. That move obviously takes Mitchell Robinson out of the starting five and onto the bench unit when he is able to return from offseason ankle surgery recovery later this season.
Mitchell Robinson could give the Knicks bench depth when he returns
As of now, they are hopeful that the seven-footer can return to the court sometime in December or January, but given the broadness of that timeline, it is possible he will come back sooner or later than that projection. However, whenever they do get him back, they will have themselves an elite defensive big to anchor the second unit and give them much more depth.
Robinson was on pace to make an All-Defense team before suffering a stress fracture to his ankle in December of last season. He returned for the final stretch before re-aggravating the injury during the playoffs and having to undergo a second surgery on the same ankle less than a year apart.
Overall, he finished last season playing in 31 games, averaging 8.5 rebounds (career-high 4.6 offensive), 1.1 blocks, and 1.2 steals per game. In the playoffs, he did a solid job defending Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid and was a crucial part of their success defensively which led to them advancing to the Eastern Conference Semifinals for the second consecutive season.
Robinson’s injury woes have sparked trade rumors
Robinson has recently been involved in trade rumors following the Towns acquisition. The discussions around the idea of trading him are sensible, as his lack of availability over the past several seasons has really hurt the Knicks at the center position.
In fact, head coach Tom Thibodeau indicated at the start of training camp that the need for a center was the “driving force” behind the Towns deal. The Knicks sent away two critical pieces from last season’s success to get Towns, as Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo have now departed for Minnesota to play with the Timberwolves.
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However, given that Robinson still has about two years left on his four-year, $60 million contract, it will be tough to convince other teams to trade valuable assets for an oft-injured big man. Therefore, the Knicks may end up holding onto Robinson this season and hope that he can make a strong impact off the bench.
Robinson could fill in a massive need off the bench
The Knicks do need size in the second unit, as Precious Achiuwa is relatively undersized as a backup big. Robinson can give them the size and interior presence that the bench is currently missing.
While Robinson’s playing time will likely take a hit playing behind an All-Star upon his return, there is still a way for him to make a great impact on this team this season. It is still unclear when he will at least return to doing basketball activities, but the hope is that the Knicks don’t have to wait too long into the season for his return.
