Mitchell Robinson’s New Timeline Could Change Knicks Trade Market

New York Knicks fans just received disappointing news regarding center Mitchell Robinson. The career Knick has been in recovery from ankle surgery due to an injury suffered in last season’s first-round playoff matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers.

According to Shams Charania of ESPN, Robinson isn’t expected to be cleared until at least late January or February. The center was expected to make a return in January, possibly early in the month, but his timeline has now been pushed back.

“Mitchell Robinson… I’m told he’s unlikely to get cleared until at least late January into February, so that pushes his timeline a little bit,” Charania said on NBA Today. “They need to see exactly whether he comes back and he’s healthy and can play or do you [the Knicks] look at the market, because they do potentially need another big off the bench.”

The Knicks are rumored to be in play for Washington Wizards center Jonas Valanciunas after Utah Jazz Walker Kessler was deemed unavailable amid trade rumors. With Robinson’s injury timeline pushed back, it makes things harder for New York both on the court and in the trade market.

The number one need for the Knicks right now is a backup center. New York poses a poor defensive rating from a sluggish start and has not received sufficient production from Jericho Sims, who has taken Robinson’s place as the backup big. Robinson’s news inclines the Knicks to trade him but also makes it harder to sell the seven-footer.

Making $14.3 million this season and just under $13 million next season, Robinson’s contract would be the most movable for a talented veteran off of the bench. He’s making the most money of any bench player in New York, which would make a straight swap for someone like Valanciunas possible.

The issue is the injury concerns. The Knicks can still trade Robinson despite his injury, but the challenge is selling to other teams if New York gets active on the market. Teams would be less inclined to trade for someone whose return isn’t before the deadline because they won’t get a feel for Robinson’s status this season. His injury history is also a concern.

What do the Knicks do in this situation? If they try to sell Robinson to acquire a more durable backup center, they’ll likely have to give up more to convince a team to agree. The other option is to stay off the trade market entirely and settle for Robinson’s return. It is unclear what the Knicks want to do this NBA trade season.

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