Mitchell Robinson Won’t Attend Knicks Training Camp amid Foot Injury Rehab

New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson did not travel with the team for the Tuesday start of training camp in Charleston, South Carolina, per SNY’s Ian Begley.

Robinson instead remained in New York to continue rehabilitation of his left foot after undergoing surgery in May, per Begley.

Begley has previously reported that the Knicks are anticipating a December or January return for Mitchell, who missed 50 games last season after undergoing surgery on his left ankle in December 2023.

Knicks training camp is set to take place at court The Citadel Military College of South Carolina, per Stefan Bondy of the New York Post.

The Knicks’ preseason opens on Sunday at the Charlotte Hornets as the team gears up for an Oct. 22 regular-season opener at the Boston Celtics.

Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau said during Knicks media day on Monday that there is “no real timeframe” for Robinson’s return, per The Athletic’s James L. Edwards III.

“We want to make sure he’s completely healthy before we move forward… We’re going to be patient,” Thibodeau said.

Robinson returned for 10 games at the end of the Knicks’ 2023-24 regular season, then appeared in six playoff contests before suffering a stress injury on his surgically-repaired ankle, so it makes sense that the Knicks would want to be cautious in his return.

The Knicks have accordingly seemed to prepare for his absence, as well as the offseason loss of Isaiah Hartenstein in free agency, by reportedly making a still-pending trade for center Karl-Anthony Towns. Behind him Precious Achiuwa and Jericho Sims will serve as center options.

Robinson, the longest-tenured player on the Knicks roster, serves as a defensive anchor for the team when healthy. The acquisition of Towns means that the Knicks will be able to ease him back into the lineup off the bench when he is healthy, although his absence from training camp seems to confirm that return will not be in the near future.