Mitchell Robinson’s Future with the Knicks in Doubt
It seems Mitchell Robinson, the Knicks’ longest-serving player, may not be donning the New York jersey next season. Sources indicated on Thursday that his return to the team is unlikely.
As an unrestricted free agent, it has always been a bit murky whether Robinson would stay – particularly since Knicks owner James Dolan has made it pretty clear he’s not looking to leap into the second apron. Dolan even voiced his stance on WFAN’s “The Carton Show” last week, saying going into the second apron isn’t an option for the NBA champions due to the free agency limitations it imposes.
Dolan stated, “There are some things in the NBA that you have to be prepared to kill yourself with, and one of them is the second apron. You can’t go on the second apron. Write the biggest check you can, but you can’t write a check that goes on the second apron.”
This reluctance was evident during this week’s NBA Draft, where the Knicks opted to trade away a first-round pick to avoid the costs associated with a guaranteed contract.
The team has a few more queries to tackle in free agency, including matters concerning fellow unrestricted free agent Landry Shamet. Recent reports suggest the Knicks are close to securing Mohamed Diawara with a multi-year deal exceeding $10 million.
If this truly marks the end of Robinson’s time in New York, it’ll wrap up a journey that began in 2018 when he was picked up as a second-round choice from Western Kentucky. In this past regular season, he averaged 8.8 rebounds in just under 20 minutes over 60 games, proving to be a reliable member of the roster.
However, his playoff performance was less impressive, with about six fewer minutes on the court and persistent struggles at the free throw line, where he shot just 29.3%. Teams even initiated a hack-a-mitch strategy against him. Surprisingly, despite a mysterious fracture in his right hand just before the NBA Finals, he played a significant role in the crucial game, pulling down 10 rebounds, including an offensive board with 22 seconds left, which helped the Knicks keep possession until OG Anunoby finished with 1 of 2 free throws to conclude the game.
