Knicks decline center’s qualifying offer amid Mitchell Robinson uncertainty

The New York Knicks have basically made their intention to not cross the second apron clear. They traded out of the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft to avoid the guaranteed cap hit that comes with a first-round selection, and now, it looks as though they’re on their way to losing a member of their championship-winning squad.

As per Vincent Goodwill of ESPN, the Knicks will not be tendering a qualifying offer to third-string center Ariel Hukporti, which would make him an unrestricted free agent. The qualifying offer for Hukporti was worth $2.6 million, and with every little bit of room under the second apron mattering for New York at present as they try to retain backup big man Mitchell Robinson, this decision is financially reasonable.

The minimum salary for Hukporti this upcoming season is worth $2.4 million, so should the Knicks still decide to keep the big man, they can do so and save themselves a couple hundred thousand dollars in the process.

Robinson, of course, should be the priority for the Knicks. However, keeping him might require them to dive deep into the second apron anyway, especially after signing Landry Shamet to a four-year, $24 million contract.

One would think that the Knicks should be doing everything in their power to run it back. Owner James Dolan is reportedly not willing to dig deeper into his pockets, so it will be interesting to monitor how New York handles their center situation, as at present, they only have one center on the roster in Karl-Anthony Towns.

Hukporti has averaged around nine minutes of play across 79 games thus far in his brief NBA career. The 58th overall pick of the 2024 NBA Draft, Hukporti has been a lively presence for the Knicks every time he’s on the court, and he’s become a fan favorite as a result. Perhaps he could be ready to step into a backup role for New York on a nightly basis should Robinson get priced out of range for the Knicks.