What Knicks must do with Mitchell Robinson at trade deadline
Today at 12:01 PM
The New York Knicks were rolling before their recent loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. The Knicks won five straight and showed balance they hadn't previously demonstrated. Still, New York has one major need, and this team can't expect to compete for a championship without addressing the backup center spot as Mitchell Robinson remains out.
Knicks are in need of a backup center
The Knicks have no experienced backup big men. That's a problem, especially come the playoffs. Sadly, New York has no major trade assets to include in a deal after sending out most of its tradable first-round picks in the Mikal Bridges deal. The entire starting five is obviously off the table.
The Knicks do have a surplus of second-round picks, which have become a relatively desirable asset. But one major problem exists: New York must send out the same amount of money as it takes back in any trade, thanks to the current salary commitments and the NBA's collective bargaining agreement. And, sadly, most desirable players fall into one of two categories: fairly paid veterans who are difficult to add to New York's roster or underpaid players on rookie deals who are desirable due to affordability and potential.
Should New York trade Mitchell Robinson?
However, Mitchell Robinson is one player who has a good amount of trade value. As a true 7-footer, he is a defensive menace who covers an incredible amount of ground on the defensive end of the floor. He is also a mobile defender, capable of battling with the strongest centers in the post, and he is also a dangerous lob threat in the pick-and-roll.
Robinson's salary is also a desirable characteristic. He counts for $14.3 million this season and is owed only $12.9 million next season. Granted, he has been incredibly injury-prone throughout his career. But at just 26 years old, Robinson might stay healthy. Potential trade parters might view the idea of adding Robinson as a gamble at snagging a defensive anchor to whom there is no long-term commitment — and they would probably expect additional draft compensation for the risk of sending out a capable backup in exchange for Robinson.
Knicks should resist desire to trade Robinson
Despite the desire to improve immediately, which trading Mitchell Robinson would probably accomplish, sending him out of town now would do more harm than good. It's not because anyone expects Robinson to remain healthy for long stretches. That's total conjecture. It's about selling low.
Robinson hasn't played all season, and the value of injury-prone players is lowest when they are actively injured. If the Knicks don’t see a future with Robinson, they should at least wait to trade him until he's healthy. Let him return from this injury and prove that he can still be a defensive anchor. Obviously, Tom Thibodeau would have to manage his minutes carefully, but the return on investment could be significant.
Another benefit to waiting on a trade is that Robinson's trade value can't go much lower, even if he doesn't perform as expected upon return. If that's the route New York takes, a Robinson trade wouldn't come to fruition until the summer of 2025, at which point he becomes an affordable expiring deal. His 2025-26 expiring salary and its total cap hit render him differently desirable.
Daespite the risk associated with hitching their wagon to Robinson, waiting to trade him also provides the Knicks with the upside of Robinson's possible production. Granted, it's not the most likely outcome. But if Robinson returns to his 2024 playoff form, he represents the backup center that New York is looking to add.
Ultimately, trading Robinson before the deadline amounts to nothing more than a win-now move. That's not necessarily bad, depending on the return. But it definitively results in selling an asset at a price that is definitively lower than ever before . Sometimes that's needed to win, but this roster is built for success beyond only this season.
So, the Knicks should be patient in making a decision on Mitchell Robinson, for now.
The post What Knicks must do with Mitchell Robinson at trade deadline appeared first on ClutchPoints.
