The New York Knicks received another piece of encouraging news regarding one of their most important free agents.
NBA insider Jake Fischer reported late Saturday in The Stein Line that veteran center Mitchell Robinson is “very open” to remaining with the Knicks despite expected interest from other teams, including the Los Angeles Lakers.
Fischer reported that the Lakers could emerge as a suitor for Robinson in free agency as they continue searching for frontcourt upgrades. Yet league sources told Fischer that Robinson remains receptive to staying in New York.
The development arrives just one day after ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reported that the Knicks have already engaged in “some level of cursory negotiations” with Robinson’s camp.
Taken together, the reports paint an increasingly optimistic picture for New York’s chances of retaining one of the key contributors to its championship run.
Early Negotiations Suggest Knicks View Robinson as a Priority
Windhorst said Friday on Get Up that keeping Robinson near the top of the Knicks’ offseason agenda.
“Their front office is reporting to work today with a list of things to do,” Windhorst said. “They’ve got to figure out a way to keep Mitchell Robinson on this roster.”
Windhorst added that he would be surprised if New York ultimately failed to find a way to retain the veteran center, even if doing so requires temporarily venturing above the NBA’s second apron.
Windhorst’s intel represented a notable shift in tone after owner James Dolan publicly declared earlier this week that the Knicks would avoid crossing the league’s most punitive spending threshold.
“There are certain things in the NBA that you’d have to be suicidal to do,” Dolan said on WFAN’s The Carton Show. “One of them is the second apron. Cannot go into the second apron.”
According to ESPN front office insider Bobby Marks, New York currently sits approximately $13.2 million below the second apron.
Re-signing Robinson and reserve guard Landry Shamet could push the Knicks over that threshold and trigger significant roster-building restrictions.
Mitchell Robinson Proved Essential During Knicks’ Championship Run
If any role player could justify ownership reconsidering its position, it may be Robinson.
The longest-tenured Knick played a pivotal role in New York’s run to its first NBA championship since 1973.
Although he averaged only 3.6 points during the NBA Finals, Robinson contributed 5.6 rebounds, including 3.0 offensive boards per game, while anchoring the second unit defensively.
His impact routinely extended beyond traditional statistics.
In the championship-clinching Game 5 against the San Antonio Spurs, Robinson grabbed 10 rebounds in only 20 minutes, including a critical late offensive rebound after Josh Hart missed a free throw with 25 seconds remaining.
The extra possession forced San Antonio to foul and effectively secured New York’s first title in 53 years.
During the regular season, the Knicks outscored opponents by 6.7 points per 100 possessions with Robinson on the floor, according to Marks.
Knicks Face Delicate Financial Decision
Because the Knicks possess Robinson’s Bird rights, they can exceed the salary cap to re-sign him.
The question is whether they are willing to absorb the financial consequences that could follow.
For now, however, the signs point in one direction.
The Knicks have already opened negotiations. Robinson is reportedly very open to returning. And despite anticipated outside interest from teams seeking frontcourt help, New York suddenly appears to have momentum in its effort to keep one of its most indispensable championship pieces.
For a franchise trying to defend its first title in more than five decades, that qualifies as very good news.
Knicks Get Good News on Mitchell Robinson Free Agency Amid Lakers Interest