The Los Angeles Lakers‘ search for a defensive center capable of helping them combat Victor Wembanyama and the emerging San Antonio Spurs may have hit an unexpected obstacle.
According to ESPN senior NBA insider Brian Windhorst, the New York Knicks intend to make unrestricted free agent center Mitchell Robinson one of their top offseason priorities, potentially taking one of the Lakers’ preferred targets off the market before free agency even begins.
“Mitchell Robinson, he is an unrestricted free agent in two weeks here, and the Knicks are going to definitely try to keep him,” Windhorst said Monday on SportsCenter. “[The Knicks] are about $8 million under the luxury tax line. They know they’re going over the luxury tax. They intend to make Mitchell an offer that will keep him. He might have some outside interest, but they’re going to make him a priority.”
For the Lakers, the timing could hardly be worse.
Mitchell Robinson Fits Lakers’ Need to Match Up With Victor Wembanyama
The Lakers’ need for size became increasingly apparent as Wembanyama and the Spurs emerged as one of the Western Conference’s most dangerous teams.
Few centers are equipped to slow the 7-foot-4 Wembanyama, but Robinson’s combination of length, mobility and rim protection would at least give Los Angeles another capable defender to deploy against the two-time All-Star and Defensive Player of the Year.
At 7 feet tall with a 7-foot-4 wingspan, Robinson has established himself as one of the NBA’s premier rebounders and interior defenders.
Despite averaging fewer than 20 minutes per game this season, Robinson pulled down 8.8 rebounds per contest while helping New York outscore opponents by 6.7 points per 100 possessions when he was on the floor.
His ability to protect the rim and dominate the offensive glass has made him one of the most coveted free-agent big men on the market.
Robinson Would Also Be an Ideal Partner for Luka Doncic
Robinson’s appeal extends beyond his defensive value.
The veteran center’s lob-finishing ability and offensive rebounding would make him a natural fit alongside Luka Doncic, whose elite pick-and-roll play has elevated rim-running centers throughout his career.
The Lakers have repeatedly been linked to athletic, defensive-minded big men who can finish above the rim while providing interior protection.
NBA insider Jake Fischer recently reported that the Lakers, Chicago Bulls, Charlotte Hornets and Toronto Raptors are among the teams monitoring Robinson’s free agency.
Los Angeles’ interest is hardly surprising.
Lakers Expected to Upgrade Center Position
Windhorst previously said on The Ryen Russillo Podcast that the Lakers are virtually guaranteed to address the center position this summer.
“They’re going to do something at the center position,” Windhorst said. “If they don’t do it in free agency, they’re going to make a trade. They’re going to have an upgrade at center.”
The urgency stems partly from Deandre Ayton’s disappointing first season in Los Angeles.
Ayton averaged 12.5 points and 8.0 rebounds in 72 games but struggled to impact winning consistently and frequently failed to provide the defensive presence the Lakers envisioned when they acquired him.
Robinson, meanwhile, only strengthened his market during New York’s championship run.
The longest-tenured Knick played a pivotal role in the team’s title-clinching Game 5 victory over the San Antonio Spurs, collecting 10 rebounds in 20 minutes off the bench and securing a critical offensive rebound in the final seconds to help preserve New York’s first NBA championship in 53 years.
If the Knicks succeed in retaining Robinson, the Lakers may be forced to pivot elsewhere in their search for the type of defensive center they believe is necessary not only to maximize Doncic’s championship window but also to better contend with the growing challenge posed by Wembanyama and the Spurs in the Western Conference.
Lakers Get Bad News on Coveted Center to Counter Victor Wembanyama