With 50 wins and 32 losses, the New York Knicks ranked second in the Eastern Conference in the 2023-24 season. The team suffered from injuries in the postseason, but still advanced to the second round. However, the Knicks lost Game 7 at home to the Pacers, 130-109.
Last season, the Knicks had to deal with several injuries that severely impacted their season. One of them was starting center Mitchell Robinson. The 26-year-old appeared in just 31 games for New York last season. While Robinson missed significant time, backup center Isaiah Hartenstien fulfilled his role seamlessly. In the end, Hartenstein proved he could be useful on offense, but Mitchell Robinson didn’t do much. That’s why the Knicks are hearing calls from teams interested in Robinson this offseason.
Will the Knicks trade Mitchell Robinson?
The Knicks have reached out to opposing teams about a Mitchell Robinson trade. @JakeLFischer
According to the source, “Hartenstein is generally expected to return to New York as the Knicks have now been in contact with opposing teams about moving Mitchell Robinson.” … pic.twitter.com/rfXvUoVlQf
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) June 21, 2024
In the 2018 NBA Draft, the Knicks used a second-round pick to draft Mitchell Robinson out of Western Kentucky. The 7-footer played all six games of his professional season in New York. As a second-round pick, the Knicks knew Robinson had some skills that needed to be honed. But Robinson hasn’t progressed as much as the Knicks would have liked so far. For his career, the big man averaged (8.0) points, (7.9) rebounds, and (1.9) blocks per game.
After Mitchell Robinson went down this season, Isaiah Hartenstein became the Knicks’ starting center. Hartenstein appeared in 75 of New York’s 82 games last season and made 49 starts. He averaged (7.8) points, (8.3) rebounds, (2.5) assists, (1.2) steals and (1.1) blocks per game. There were rumors that the Thunder would attempt to trade Hartenstein this offseason. According to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports, there is growing belief that the Knicks will retain Hartenstein this offseason.
I heard something similar to the Yahoo report about NYK’s Mitchell Robinson. Robinson’s name came up while NYK was talking about a potential deal. I don’t think NYK is committed to moving him, but his salary (two years remaining on a four-year, $60M downward contract) makes him a valuable potential deal.
— Ian Begley (@IanBegley) June 21, 2024
Mitchell Robinson won’t be the only big man eligible for a trade this offseason. We’ll have to see if the Knicks can find a suitor for Robinson. On certain teams, he will be the starting pitcher. But Robinson’s days as an NBA starter may be over. If the Knicks can’t find a trade partner, Robinson will likely come off the team’s bench in 2024-25. Isaiah Hartenstein proved that he is a better fit for the starting lineup.
