Mitchell Robinson just won a championship with the Knicks. But he might not be back next season.
According to Marc Stein, the Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Lakers are both circling the 7-foot center as free agency approaches. And with New York trying to avoid the NBA’s punitive second apron, Robinson could be the odd man out.
Stein reports the Nets have legitimate interest in poaching Robinson from across the East River. Brooklyn tanked hard last season, ending up with the No. 6 pick in the draft, but they’re looking to put a respectable team on the floor next year. They’ve got cap space to work with and a clear hole in the middle after trading Nic Claxton in the deal that brought Julius Randle to town.
The Lakers, meanwhile, are waiting in the wings. There’s growing pessimism around the league that the Knicks can hold onto Robinson, and Los Angeles could open up over $50 million in cap space if they renounce the rights to LeBron James, Rui Hachimura, Luke Kennard, Maxi Kleber and Jaxson Hayes. That’s a lot of flexibility for a team that desperately needs a lob threat for Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, plus someone who can clean the glass on defense. Robinson fits both descriptions.
Can the Knicks afford to keep him?
Probably not without a significant discount. Knicks owner James Dolan has been pretty open about the team’s limits. On WFAN, Dolan said New York is willing to stretch financially but won’t go into the second apron, calling it a move that would be “suicidal.” He said, “If we could bring back the whole team exactly as it is, why wouldn’t you? But I don’t know if we’re going to be able to. Just contractually.”
The Knicks don’t have enough room under that apron to re-sign Robinson unless he takes a hometown haircut. After eight seasons in New York — he was drafted 36th overall in 2018 and carved out a real role — it’s fair to wonder if he’d take less to stay. But the offers from teams like the Nets and Lakers might be too good to pass up.
Brooklyn can spend $46 million in cap space as things stand, and they can complete the Randle trade as an over-the-cap team on July 6. So the math works. The Lakers have their own path with roster moves. And other contenders with access to the $15 million non-taxpayer mid-level exception could also get in the mix.
Robinson’s decision will shape the center market this summer. And for a guy who just helped end New York’s 50-plus-year title drought, the exit music might be playing sooner than anyone expected.
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