Getty Images Mitchell Robinson of the New York Knicks.
The Los Angeles Lakers have a big hole to fill in the absence of Anthony Davis and New York Knicks big man Mitchell Robinson is an option the team could explore.
Sam Quinn of CBS Sports had Mitchell at the top of a list of five possible replacements for Davis as he nurses his sprained left knee, although he notes the former second-round pick would be the “pie in the sky target” for LA.
Quinn points to multiple factors that could make Robinson a realistic target. Premier among those is that he’s been relegated to a bench role, playing behind Nerlens Noel. He has admitted his conditioning is not where it should be and that he gained weight in the offseason while recovering from a broken foot.
“I wish I could jump right back into it and be who I was before the injury,” Robinson admitted earlier this month. “It’s cool. I’m going to work and be back to myself.”
Robinson is averaging 7.3 points and 6.4 rebounds this season.
Lakers Have Hole at Center With Davis, Howard Out
The Lakers have two traditional big men in Dwight Howard and DeAndre Jordan, but both are on the back nine of their careers. And the Lakers haven’t exactly been thrilled with what they’ve got out of Jordan so far, with the former All-Star falling out of the rotation before Howard entered the health and safety protocols.
“At the end of the day, I’m a professional,” Jordan said. “So whenever I am called upon, I’m gonna try and be ready as best as I can, and when I’m not called on I’ll be there to cheer my teammates on and kind of give pointers wherever I see fit and just be ready. When Dwight is in there and he’s playing well, I’m giving him tips, I’m cheering him on, I’m doing whatever I need to be doing to make sure that our team has that right energy to be going (the right way).”
Robinson cut of the same cloth but has some major athletic upside at just 23 years old and hungry for a new deal. Quinn wrote:
The Lakers sorely need athletic upside in the frontcourt and Robinson provides a boatload of it. He’s also playing for a new contract, so any acquiring team should expect him to do his best to fit in. Robinson probably couldn’t play alongside Davis and Russell Westbrook given his very traditional offensive role as a non-shooting roller and rebounder, but if he recaptures his old defensive form, he could make a world of difference on that end of the floor.
Other options pitched included former Lakers Damian Jones and Mo Wagner, as well as Hawks big man Gorgui Dieng.
Anthony Davis Expected to Miss at Least a Month
The team officially announced a left knee sprain for Davis on Saturday after he exited Friday’s game against the Timberwolves. Davis went down midway through the third quarter after being rolled into by Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels. Davis will miss more than a dozen games if his absence lasts just a month.
“My concern is always for his health,” LeBron James said. “You always wish for the best for any of your teammates but especially a guy like AD. So you wish for the best and leave it up to the man above’s hands.”
Davis played had played both power forward and center, which makes his absence that more problematic for the Lakers. He’s averaged 23.3 points, 9.9 rebounds and two blocks per game this season. However, he has struggled at times, shooting 17.9 from 3-point range and not looking as aggressive as in years past.
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