Knicks Only Willing To Sign 'Team-Friendly' Contract Extension With Mitchell Robinson Due To Injury Concerns

Mitchell Robinson was the 36th overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft and has spent his entire career with the Knicks. Now, when he is up for an extension with the team, the Knicks seem to have their own reservations about Robinson. 

According to James L. Edwards of the New York Times, the Knicks have taken note of Robinson's injury history and hence want to sign a "team-friendly" contract extension to secure them from it in the future. 

"I’ve gotten the sense that New York would be willing to sign Robinson to a team-friendly extension that covers them in the event he continues to get hurt," wrote Edwards. 

Mitchell Robinson is in the final year of a declining contract and is expected to earn $12.95 million in 2025-26. The Knicks no longer consider Robinson as a reliable starter, and we saw him fall in their ranks after the 2022-23 season, following the arrival of Karl-Anthony Towns. 

But it seems that Robinson wants to fight for his place in New York. He has been working hard on his body to no longer have those injury concerns, and also reportedly does not want to take a pay cut because he feels he "puts his body on the line" every night for the team and deserves to be compensated. 

While Robinson has not directly addressed his contract situation, I am interpreting this from his comments in the past and his follow-up actions to address the Knicks' concerns.  

Robinson signed a four-year, $60 million deal with the Knicks in 2022, but after the first season of that extension, he sustained a left ankle stress fracture, which derailed the remainder of his Knicks career. 

Robinson has played only 107 games in the regular season since his previous contract extension came into effect. He averaged 8.6 rebounds, 6.5 points, and 1.5 blocks in that duration. Therefore, it is natural that the Knicks have concerns about his health despite his significant contributions on the defensive end of the floor.

They will likely use him as a backup center in the coming season behind Karl-Anthony Towns and assess during the season whether he is a consistent fit on this roster who can stay healthy. 

Considering that Robinson will become a free agent next season if he doesn't sign an extension, the Knicks currently have the leverage. Robinson's history is not strong enough for him to rely on the free agency market to get a contract he feels he deserves, and can potentially get with the Knicks. 

Related: Knicks Teammate Josh Hart Trolls Karl-Anthony Towns For Bullying Young Kids At A Basketball Camp