Getty
The New York Knicks have a big decision to make before the February 10 trade deadline and it involves one of their hottest players as of late.
Mitchell Robinson, the center who came into the season with dreams of coming home with the Defensive Player of the Year trophy, has caught fire and he finished up with 19 points and 21 rebounds in the loss to the Utah Jazz on February 7 in what was certainly one of best games of his NBA career.
This comes after the Knicks center position was a revolving door to start the year and veteran Taj Gibson was forced to step in and play far more minutes than the team hoped for with Nerlens Noel and Robinson both missing time.
With Robinson now healthy, it’s looking like he can finally realize his potential, and now the team has to decide whether they want to trade him or give him the contract extension he’s been looking for.
The Knicks have until the Thursday deadline to offer him four years up to $50 million, so it’s a nice chunk of change if New York is willing to do it.
When asked about his future with the team and if he’s listening to the noise, Robinson explained he’s not all that worried.
What’s Robinson’s Future?
GettyNew York Knicks big man Mitchell Robinson reacts during a game against the Miami Heat.
If the Knicks big man can keep playing like’s been for the past several weeks, locking him down on an extension would be an easy decision for the front office.
However, he does still come with a long list of injury concerns that would give any team pause before shelling out tons of money.
For what it’s worth, Robinson says he’s just going to go out there and keep on playing basketball.
“Whatever happens, happens,” he said, via the New York Post. “Really, I mean, I’m just here to play basketball. That’s the main thing. It’s still in the season. You’re not worried about the offseason or the break.”
This is the mindset a lot of players have because basketball is a business, something players will like to remind you of often, and the only they can do is go out there and play.
“I’m just going to continue to play hard, see what happens,’’ he continued. “I don’t think about it that much. I just want to hoop. That’s what I’ve got an agent for. He handles that so I can focus on basketball.”
Robinson sounds like things are pretty much out of his control, and with so many rumors swirling around him, it could be a busy week ahead.
Are the Knicks Making a Move?
GettyNew York Knicks stars Julius Randle and RJ Barrett react to a call during a game against the Boston Celtics.
New York has been linked to just about every team in the NBA at this point in the season, but will they actually do anything remains the question. They have already traded for Cam Reddish, but he has largely spent his time in New York on the bench.
A big name that was floating on February 7 was CJ McCollum, and now it’s looking like things between him and the Pelicans are getting spicy.
The Knicks have lost out on several big names in the past, but that kind of trade would likely require New York to give up some of their bright, young stars such as Robinson.
This Thursday’s deadline draws nearer by the second, so if the Knicks are making a trade, they’ll have to do it soon.
READ NEXT: Julius Randle’s Heated Confrontation With Knicks Coach Goes Viral