The New York Knicks are going to need to evaluate their roster and determine what changes must be made ahead of next season. Despite having their most success in over 25 years, most would agree that they still have flaws that need to be addressed.
One of their biggest flaws is a lack of scoring depth. They were last in bench points during the regular season and towards the bottom in a number of other offensive categories.
Knicks could trade Mitchell Robinson to enhance roster needs
Therefore, they may need to make some tough decisions on their current roster to add the necessary pieces. One of those pieces that they will evaluate is center Mitchell Robinson.
Robinson, who is the longest-tenured Knick on the roster, is one of their most impactful defensive players and provided a large part of their rim protection during the postseason. However, there are a few factors that make it tough to guarantee his spot long-term is safe.
For starters, next season will be the final year of his contract, meaning that they will have to consider whether extending him is worth the price. The main concern with signing him to an extension is his lengthy injury history, which has cost him several games throughout his career.
The Knicks could take advantage of his value being higher
This past season, he missed the team’s first 58 games recovering from ankle surgery. Robinson was subsequently thrown into trade rumors, but he ultimately stayed with the Knicks with his value at its lowest.
However, he regained some of that value during the postseason with his elite defensive play. The only problem was that he was hard to play in lineups that needed offense and in late-game situations. Teams were intentionally fouling Robinson late in quarters to force him to the line, and he is a poor free throw shooter, so possessions were being wasted.
Furthermore, his offensive limitations affect the team’s spacing, though his offensive rebounding prowess made up for that. Robinson is one of the team’s most impactful players, but the idea of selling high on him to make a true upgrade shouldn’t be outrageous.
The Knicks have important needs to address this summer
New York desperately needs scoring depth and improved playmaking off the bench. They didn’t have a consistent bench scorer aside from Miles McBride, and they need to scout both the trade and free agent markets for that depth.
That’s where Robinson’s spot comes into play. He is set to make $15 million next season, and New York doesn’t have the greatest financial flexibility to make a plethora of moves without giving up core pieces. Therefore, he may be on the trade block again this summer so that the Knicks can create the cap space to make moves that will improve their roster.
Letting go of Robinson would be a decision that needs to be carefully considered. Despite some of his shortcomings and injury trouble, he is still a high-impact player when he is on the court, so they must ensure that they are getting a true upgrade if they were to move on from him.
Ultimately, there is a long offseason ahead, and Robinson’s future with the team will be one of the most discussed headlines of the summer for the Knicks.
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