The Los Angeles Lakers have been linked to Mitchell Robinson throughout the offseason as they search for the defensive anchor to pair with Luka Dončić.
Not everyone believes he is the answer.
ESPN front office insider Bobby Marks delivered a blunt assessment Thursday, cautioning the Lakers against viewing the New York Knicks big man as their long-term starting center while laying out what he believes should be the franchise’s offseason blueprint.
The comments come as Robinson continues to emerge as one of the Lakers’ most frequently discussed center targets amid growing uncertainty surrounding his future in New York.
Bobby Marks Doesn’t View Robinson as a Full-Time Starter
Appearing on ESPN’s Get Up, Marks said the Lakers should avoid relying on salary-cap space and instead use their future draft assets to acquire a starting-caliber center via trade.
“I want to really go into the weeds of the CBA right now, and for Laker fans out there, if I was in the Lakers’ shoes, I would not rely on cap space,” Marks said.
Instead, Marks suggested Los Angeles re-sign LeBron James to a new contract, retain Luke Kennard and Rui Hachimura, then pursue its biggest need on the trade market.
“I’d bring back Luke Kennard, and I’d bring back Rui Hachimura, and then I’d go out and get a center in the trade market. That’s going to be the best option for the Lakers,” Marks said.
He then explained why Robinson would not be his preferred solution.
“Mitchell Robinson, who has had good moments in New York — he’s not a full-time center, he’s a rotational player.”
Injury History Raises Questions
Marks’ evaluation is supported by Robinson’s durability concerns.
The 28-year-old appeared in 60 regular-season games during the Knicks’ championship campaign, his highest total since the 2022-23 season. Between those two healthier campaigns, however, Robinson played in just 48 combined regular-season games because of an assortment of injuries that required multiple surgeries.
When healthy, Robinson remains one of the NBA’s elite offensive rebounders and rim protectors.
His availability, however, has often been one of the biggest questions surrounding his long-term value as an every-night starting center.
Free-Throw Struggles Became Playoff Target
GettyMitchell Robinson of the New York Knicks shoots a free throw during the first quarter against the San Antonio Spurs in Game Three of the 2026 NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden on June 08, 2026 in New York City.
Robinson’s offensive limitations have also become increasingly difficult for opponents to ignore.
A 50.8% career free-throw shooter, Robinson struggled even more during the Knicks’ championship run, converting a career-low 40.8% from the foul line.
Opposing teams repeatedly employed “Hack-a-Mitch” tactics, intentionally fouling Robinson to force him to earn points at the free-throw line rather than allowing New York to operate its half-court offense.
Those possessions occasionally forced Knicks coach Mike Brown to balance Robinson’s elite interior defense against the offensive limitations created by his free-throw shooting late in games.
Combined with his injury history, those shortcomings help explain why Marks views Robinson as a valuable rotational big rather than the type of full-time starting center the Lakers need alongside Dončić.
Lakers’ Top Targets Remain Difficult to Land
Marks acknowledged why Robinson continues to be connected to Los Angeles.
Many of the Lakers’ preferred targets are unlikely to become available.
“Walker Kessler and Jalen Duren aren’t coming here because they’re restricted free agents,” Marks said.
Utah continues to view Kessler as part of its long-term core, while Marc Stein and Jake Fischer recently reported in The Stein Line that there remains an early gulf in contract negotiations between Detroit and Duren even though the Pistons continue to prioritize keeping the 22-year-old All-Star center.
Those realities have narrowed the Lakers’ options.
League insiders have also connected Los Angeles to Nic Claxton and Isaiah Stewart this offseason, but Claxton has already been traded to Chicago, while Stewart was dealt to the Memphis Grizzlies during the NBA Draft.
Trade Market May Offer Better Solution for Lakers
Rather than spending heavily in free agency, Marks believes the Lakers should leverage their remaining assets.
Los Angeles still controls first-round picks in 2031 and 2033, giving general manager Rob Pelinka ammunition to pursue a more established starting center through the trade market.
Whether Pelinka ultimately follows that path remains to be seen.
But as Robinson continues to generate buzz among Lakers fans, one of NBA’s leading salary-cap experts has issued a clear warning: the veteran Knicks center may be best suited as part of a rotation rather than as the full-time answer in the middle for a team trying to maximize Dončić’s championship window.
Lakers Get Mitchell Robinson Warning Amid Reported Interest