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With Karl-Anthony Towns and Precious Achiuwa sharing responsibilities at the center spot, it was widely expected that the Knicks would trade Mitchell Robinson ahead of the February 6 trade deadline. However, Hoops Hype’s Michael Scotto reported on December 2 that Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau was against trading the shot-blocking big man despite his injury history.
According to Scotto, Thibodeau was keen on lineups with both Robinson and Towns, with the latter sliding to the role of power forward like he did in Minnesota next to Rudy Gobert.
“Knicks center Mitchell Robinson is owed $14.32 million this season and $12.95 next season, while Precious Achiuwa is on an expiring $6 million deal,” Scotto wrote. “Combining both salaries would give the Knicks a chance to theoretically acquire another player in the $20 million range if there’s a fit. With that said, however, the Knicks believe Robinson can help anchor their interior defense when he returns and can play alongside Towns, who’d slide over to power forward.”
Mitchell Johnson’s Injuries a Concern
“Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau is a strong advocate for Robinson and believes he can help the team win in the playoffs. It’s also worth noting that Achiuwa averaged 12.5 points on 52.6 percent shooting, 9.5 rebounds, 1.8 blocks, and 1.1 steals in 18 starts last season,” added Scotto.
While Robinson’s ability to protect the rim has never been in question, his injury history remains a concern. The 7-footer missed 51 games in the 2023-24 season, 23 in 2022-23 and another 51 games through the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons. After undergoing foot surgery in the 2024 offseason, Robinson missed the start of the season and was projected to remain out until the start of the new year.
As such, Robinson could have little to no trade value for contending teams, but his $14.32 million contract could be valuable to a team in need of draft assets.
Knicks Trade Options Could Change
Seeing as the Knicks have unearthed one of the best starting units in the league, their only realistic trade assets are Robinson, Achiuwa, Miles McBride, the Wizards’ 2025 first-round pick (top 10 protected), and Tyler Kolek.
Technically, the Knicks have the assets to land a veteran player in the range of $20 – $30 million without giving up any of the starters — Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns.
Veteran players rumored to be available via trade before the deadline include Brandon Ingram (Pelicans), Nikola Vucevic (Bulls), Cameron Johnson (Nets), Zach LaVine (Bulls) and Steven Adams (Rockets). The Knicks have already been linked to Vucevic, with Sports Illustrated’s Jed Katz arguing that the veteran center would help solve a lot of the Knicks’ bench-scoring woes and serve as the perfect backup to Towns.
The likes of Jonas Valanciunas (Wizards) and Chris Boucher (Raptors) have also been earmarked as ideal fits to either backup Towns or play next to the All-Star Knicks center.
It should be noted that the Knicks are expected to avoid any major splashes as they plan to remain under the luxury tax second apron. As of December 4, they were approximately $600,000 below the second apron due to smart salary cap management.
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Knicks Make Decision on Mitchell Robinson Trade: Insider