Getty Duncan Robinson #55 of the Miami Heat warms up prior to the game against the Milwaukee Bucks at American Airlines Arena on December 29, 2020 in Miami, Florida.
Duncan Robinson becomes a restricted free agent this summer, and it’s not surprising to learn the sharpshooter is expected to field offers from numerous teams.
It remains unknown whether or not the Miami Heat forward will remain in South Beach next season, but if Robinson is looking to get a fresh start with a new team, the New York Knicks would welcome him with open arms, according to a new report.
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The Knicks have $50 million in cap space which could easily cover Robinson’s salary, which is expected to be in the range of $15 to 20 million a year. According to SNY TV‘s Ian Begley, the 27-year-old could find himself a new home in Manhattan. Begley wrote that Robinson already “has fans” in the Knicks’ front office.
The interesting thing with [Kendrick] Nunn and Duncan Robinson is that Miami will be forced to make a difficult decision if both players sign big offer sheets. The Heat can – and probably would – match offers to Dunn and Robinson. But bringing both players back on big contracts could hamper Miami’s future flexibility.
(Robinson will probably have plenty of suitors this summer. This isn’t surprising, but Robinson has fans within the Knicks organization.)
Robinson Said He Would Love to ‘See What’s Out There’
GettyDuncan Robinson #55 of the Miami Heat controls the ball against in the second quarter at Spectrum Center on May 02, 2021.
Robinson addressed the “stress” and “anxiety” that comes with having an undecided future on the latest episode of his podcast, The Long Shot. While he previously said that he’d love to stay with Miami, Robinson is keeping an open mind.
“To see what’s out there is obviously an enticing thought,” Robinson admitted. “To have the opportunity to be a free agent and have some options is obviously a coveted position. ”
“At this point, I have such little information,” Robinson said. “I know what I know and I know the experience that I have had. But I also, I have had only one experience with one team.”
This season, Robinson became the fastest player to notch 500 three-pointers in league history, and even though he’s shooting 40.2% from beyond the line, down from 44.6% from last season, his ceiling remains high.
Robinson’s Free Agency Situation is Particularly ‘Complex’
Sun Sentinel’s Ira Winderman succinctly surmised why there’s so much interest in Robinson’s future in Miami, as there are numerous ways in which he could be resigned or signed to another franchise:
The Heat have the right to make him a restricted free agent by extending a $4.7 million qualifying offer by Aug. 2. That, in turn, would allow the Heat to match any outside offer. But the Heat also could bypass the qualifying offer to maximize their cap space and then cycle back to Robinson with an understanding that he would return.
If New York is serious in wanting to make an offer to Robinson, “The Knicks can sign a restricted free agent to an offer sheet during the free agency moratorium (Aug. 2- Aug. 6),” Begley wrote. “But a player’s original team doesn’t have to match until Aug. 8, two days after the end of the moratorium.”
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