Knicks Rumors: Teams Inquiring About Mitchell Robinson’s Injury Before Trade Deadline

Multiple teams have inquired about the health of New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson, who has been out all year after undergoing offseason ankle surgery.

“Several teams have been inquiring about Robinson’s health. So that tells you that teams would have interest in trading for Robinson if they knew he was going to be healthy. When healthy, Robinson is one of the best offensive rebounders in the NBA. The 26-year-old is under contract through next season. So it makes sense that he would have trade strong trade value if healthy.

“But the three teams I’ve talked to recently didn’t have clarity on Robinson’s health.”

The 26-year-old Robinson, who has played six NBA seasons, averaged 5.6 points and 8.5 rebounds in 31 games (21 starts) last year.

As noted by ESPN’s Shams Charania, Robinson had ankle surgery in December 2023, which forced him to miss three-and-a-half months. He returned in late March 2024 but then suffered a left ankle sprain in the playoffs against the Philadelphia 76ers.

The big man played the next three playoff games but missed the Knicks’ final six second-round contests versus the Indiana Pacers. He has not played since May 6, 2024.

It’s unclear when Robinson will return. Begley wrote that the team has taken a “conservative approach” with the big man. He also noted that Robinson still has some hurdles to clear.

“Now, back to Robinson. Let’s start here with the Knicks center: as of Wednesday, he was not yet cleared to run at full speed. That’s the next significant step for Robinson in his rehab from offseason foot surgery.

“Until he clears that hurdle, it’s difficult to say with any certainty when Robinson will be back on the court. But it’s fair to say that he’s not close to a return. If he were close to a return, he’d already be taking contact in a scrimmage setting.”

Begley’s remarks were in response to a mailbag question on whether he thought Robinson would play over or under 35 games this season. Begley guessed the under.

Teams may potentially be interested in Robinson even though he’s been out this season, but the Knicks could easily be better off keeping him on the roster. New York is on fire right now as winners of nine straight to move to 24-10, good enough for third in the Eastern Conference. The Knicks’ starting lineup has been fantastic, but New York could use some more depth off the bench. Robinson could be excellent as a high-energy reserve in limited minutes with his rebounding and defensive skills.

In the meantime, Robinson continues his rehab, and the Knicks look to keep their hot streak going on Friday in a road game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, who are winners of 12 straight.