Knicks center Mitchell Robinson won’t be available at the start of the regular season, according to reports from Yaron Weitzman of FOX Sports (Twitter link) and Ian Begley of SNY.tv.
Robinson underwent surgery on his left ankle in May to address a stress injury after having undergone a procedure on the same ankle last December. His recovery is ongoing, and both Weitzman and Begley suggest that the Knicks and Robinson are targeting a return in December or January.
Weitzman’s and Begley’s sources say that New York is proceeding cautiously with Robinson’s recovery process, given the troubles that ankle has given him in the last year, and that the team is confident in the “depth and versatility” of its frontcourt, which will have to get by without the Knicks’ starting center for the first couple months of the season.
The Knicks’ depth at center has already been a source of some concern entering the 2024/25 season, given that the club lost Isaiah Hartenstein in free agency and didn’t add a replacement for the big man. Further complicating matters is the fact that Julius Randle is recovering from a surgery of his own (on his shoulder) and isn’t guaranteed to be available for opening night, though his recovery process is believed to be further along than Robinson’s.
When Randle underwent his shoulder procedure in early April, the team announced that he’d be reevaluated in five months, which would be early September. However, the team hasn’t provided any formal update on the three-time All-Star — that update will likely come on Media Day next week.
Head coach Tom Thibodeau has spoken about the possibility of Randle playing some small-ball center this season, but even if Randle is available by opening night, the team will have to lean more heavily on big men like Jericho Sims and Precious Achiuwa until Robinson is ready to return. It’s also worth noting that Robinson’s unavailability this fall could help give power forward Marcus Morris a leg up on guard Landry Shamet in the battle for the 15th and final spot on the Knicks’ standard roster.
Robinson is an athletic rim-runner and rim protector who holds career averages of 8.0 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks in 24.5 minutes per game across 320 career outings (196 starts). He has been impacted by injuries in recent years though, as he has missed 125 of 318 total regular season games and 12 of 29 playoff contests since the start of the 2020/21 season.
F************************k..
January? Oh no.
That’s rough for Knicks fans. You knew he was going to be injured at some point, but missing the first two months+ of the season? Yikes.
Trade Dadiet, Ariel with the draft rights to Rokas, Lessort and Vaulet for a C. Trade Bates-Diop if needed. Sign Morris
Moses Brown, Bismack B and Noel are sitting around
Maybe Noel can come out of nowhere
Dadiet doesn’t fit this team.
I told you panic KnickerbockerAI
SMH we need a center as of yesterday
So he’ll be due back right around the same time that Porzingis is due back for Boston. It’s going to be interesting to see how both teams make do without their starting centers.
Porzingis may be superior to Robinson as a player, but I believe the Celtics will miss him less than the Knicks will miss Robinson.
Horford, Hauser, and Quetta are all big enough to give serviceable minutes against true NBA centers. But the Knicks without Robinson will have no answer defensively for dominant bigs.
If both Robinson AND, as this article suggests, Robinson aren’t healthy this season, party’s over.
In retrospect, as much as I like Mikal Bridges, I’d rather have Hartenstein, who’s durable and was the perfect C for the Knicks. It’s great to have 5 over-average wings, but, given their current bigs, Knicks look considerably weaker at this point than they were in last season’s playoffs.
This is a top 5 team in the league:
Hartenstein + Randle + OG + Brunson + DeVincenzo
This is a top 12 team, at best, because it’s so small:
Randle + Hart + OG + Brunson + Bridges.
Hartenstein over Bridges? huh?? You act like Mitch won’t come back and they won’t get another center too lol strange
Turbotime ,
1. yes, I said Hartenstein over Bridges.
2. no, “they won’t get another center” like Hartenstein, who’s now making $28M/yr, and Knicks don’t have the cap space.
I did NOT suggest that Hartenstein is a better all-around player than Bridges, only that without him the Knicks have a huge weakness that they didn’t have last year.
The Knicks are paying 4 starting-caliber wings (Donte, Hart, Bridges and OG) to play 2 positions. They enter this season without an NBA center and an injury-prone starting PF.
You seem very confident that a team hard capped at the second apron will just magically find a serviceable center
Boston went 21-4 in the regular season and 10-2 in the playoffs without Porzingis last year, so yeah, it will be fine short term.
Did you just call Hauser a center?
> Did you just call Hauser a center?
My bad, I made Luke Kornet. (No jokes, please. lol)
Understood. I’ve been known to mess up as well. Often, in fact.
They also have Tillman.
Goat , forgot about Tillman, good catch.
Celtics have so many guys that can play multiple positions/roles, which is why I think they’re a lock to win 65 games. Any of their 5 starters, all of whom have been All-Stars can miss games and they’re still a top 3 team.
@ Clay. Yep, that win lose record on way to a chip gets missed by fans somehow. Not to mention the continuity of Boston’s Roster. Might be a blessing in disguise for NY. I think they’ll need Mitch in the playoffs, but the guy could be Gobert in the playoffs at times, sitting in crunch time. He’s a drop coverage guy who can’t shoot free throws. Versatility, switching on D is more important than ever. Precious, you’re up….
Randle is an all star.
Brunson should have been an all star.
Bridges is an all star. 1st team all nba defensive team. and 20 pts a gm. Try watching a gm.
Really, OK, be like that then. Do I need to counter with all nba, all defensive guys, current and ex all stars on Boston’s roster? I was saying this could help the knicks in the long run ie the playoffs. You really want Mitch in drop coverage in the 4th against KP and Al if all healthy? Good luck with that. Precious is better defensively switching on smaller guys. I wasn’t knocking the knicks. Hence the words ‘blessing in disguise’
Al , yes, Brunson should have been an All-Star, and will be for many years in the future.
But Bridges, like OG, has never been an All-Star and likely never will be. Just like OG, he’s a top 10 3+D, guy, but don’t expect 20 ppg. Bridges done that once in his career. His experience with the Nets proved he’s not a 1A or 1B on a winning team. But I like him and OG BOTH as 15 ppg third/fourth options behind Brunson and Randle
Brunson, OG, and Bridges are nice.
But Tatum, Brown, White, and Holiday are on another level altogether.
These NBA players are going to disappear too you all y’all.
Markelle Fultz, Dennis Smith, Robert Covington, Danilo Gallinari, Jae Crowder, Thaddeus Young, Victor Oladipo, Doug McDermott, Lamar Stevans, Bismack Biyombo, Javale McGee, Moses Brown, TJ Warren, Wesley Matthews, Nassir Little, Kevin Knox and everyone please put on watch Oshae Brissett
I guess nobody cares about these guys. Bye veterans in the NBA
Disappointed for Mitch, but I doubt the FO considers this news (if its even that to them) a surprise or a call to action. They’ll need Mitch back to go anywhere in the playoffs, but not to play the first two months of the season.
This suxx ….. this is old with Mitch. Time to go another way imo.
Now it’s time to sign a Center. Can’t go with Sims alone. Have to look at a few.
Hukporti should be watching this. Opportunity ……
I watched a lot of NBL last year believe it or not Hukporti is a good athlete and he works out there,
Yes yes he is. He has atleast Mitch Robinson 2.0 ahead of him under the right circumstances. He’s a rim runner and he can move for such big guy. Knows his own game very young and I’m sure he can add some wrinkles to his game. He’s an athlete, he’s second jump and touch is pretty good. I think short spurts in the league for now. Thibs isn’t known for playing young guys but he may not have a choice to start the season. Kukporti is probably better than Sims right now. Just run the floor, grab boards, change shots, set picks, move the ball on quick if you got nothing. If he develops a post go to, he’ll most definitely outplay when he was drafted.
Sign Nick Richards
Ooopps my bad. Trade Dadiet, Ariel and Bates-Diop with the draft rights to Rokas, Lessort and Vaulet for Richards
3 team trade. IND gets Ayton. NYK gets Myles Turner. POR gets M Robinson + Obi Toppin + McBride + salary filler + draft picks.
Why am I not surprised…. Should have parted ways with oft injured Robinson years ago.
Could the Knicks have unloaded Mitch and offer IHART a larger deal?