The New York Knicks don’t know when they will have Mitchell Robinson back on the court. After appearing in the first three preseason games, the big man has not played since, while the team takes a cautious approach with him.
Knicks’ Mike Brown expresses uncertainty over Mitchell Robinson
After missing the season opener against the Cleveland Cavaliers, he was already ruled out for Friday’s game against the Boston Celtics. The team insists that he hasn’t suffered a new injury and that he is simply sitting games out to rest his surgically repaired ankle.
Head coach Mike Brown provided an uncertain yet gloomy outlook on how long it could be before Robinson sees the floor.
“There may be a stretch of five games where we may sit him,” Brown said, via SNY’s Ian Begley. “…. There’s no definition of what load management is. You just go along or myself and the medical team and the front office, we’ll go along as we see fit and we’ll decide if we want to sit him during practice or we want to sit him in a game. It’s as simple as that.”
The Knicks need Robinson to be healthy
Robinson played just 17 games last season after missing a large part of the season recovering from ankle surgery. He stayed healthy throughout the playoffs, which is ultimately what the Knicks are hoping for again.
However, his absence will have a big effect on his future with the team. He is set to become an unrestricted free agent after this season, but the Knicks are unsure if they want to extend the big man beyond this season.
While his on-court impact is undeniable, the lack of availability hurts the team drastically. The team will remain hopeful that he can make his return sooner rather than later, as they will need him both this season and in the playoffs.