Mitchell Robinson may still be one of Jalen Brunson’s closest friends.
That friendship, however, comes with an expiration date four times a year.
After Robinson left the Knicks for the rival Boston Celtics, Brunson made clear that their relationship will be put aside whenever the two teams meet.
“I’m happy for him,” Brunson told Stefan Bondy of the New York Post. “And now, whenever we play him — four times a year — he’s not my friend that day.”
It was a playful warning, but one that also underscored what Robinson’s move means inside the Eastern Conference.
Boston did not simply add another center. The Celtics took one of the reigning champions’ most distinctive role players and dropped him directly into one of their biggest rivalries.
Brad Stevens Says Mitchell Robinson ‘Makes Teams Better’
Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens has made clear that Boston sees Robinson as much more than a rebounding specialist.
“I feel like that spot is just really solid for us,” Stevens said. “I think Mitch is obviously proven. He’s been there, done that. He’s an NBA champion and played a very meaningful role in that series. That’s just kind of what he’s always done. He just makes teams better.”
Robinson averaged 5.7 points, 8.8 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in 60 games last season, but those numbers only partially capture his impact.
His offensive rebounding creates possessions without requiring touches, and his size gives Boston another true rim presence in a frontcourt that needed one.
That alone would have made Robinson useful.
Joe Mazzulla Praises Robinson’s Defensive Versatility
Coach Joe Mazzulla believes there is considerably more to his game.
“I think his defense is underrated as well,” Mazzulla told The Athletic.
Mazzulla pointed back to Boston’s 2025 playoff series against New York, when the Knicks were comfortable matching Robinson with Kristaps Porziņģis and asking him to recover to the perimeter.
“Everyone’s going to talk about the offensive rebounding, but his defensive versatility and his pick-and-roll defense is good,” Mazzulla said. “And we’ll be able to go to some different tactics because of that.”
That gives Boston schematic flexibility.
Robinson can protect the rim, handle different pick-and-roll coverages and defend multiple types of centers without forcing the Celtics into a single defensive approach.
Mazzulla also emphasized Robinson’s championship experience.
“I’m excited about the freshness of winning,” he said. “It’s very fresh in your mind, and you have a taste of that.”
That may be particularly valuable for a Boston team trying to get back on top of the East.
Robinson is not arriving from just any contender. He is coming directly from the Knicks, bringing firsthand knowledge of how New York navigated a championship run.
Celtics-Knicks Matchups Just Got More Personal
The familiarity cuts both ways.
New York knows Robinson’s limitations, especially at the free throw line and away from the basket. Robinson, meanwhile, knows how Brunson and the Knicks want to operate.
He knows their sets. He knows their tendencies. He knows where they prefer to attack.
Boston does not need him to reinvent himself.
The Celtics need Robinson to rebound, protect the rim, screen, finish and create second chances.
Against New York, those responsibilities will carry extra weight.
Brunson may embrace him before tipoff.
Once the game starts, though, his warning is already on the record.
For four nights this season, friendship can wait.
Celtics’ Mitchell Robinson Gets Warning From Knicks Star