Knicks face decision on Mitchell Robinson as camp nears

The Knicks handled most of their business this summer. Mikal Bridges got his extension. Mike Brown was hired as head coach. Guerschon Yabusele and Jordan Clarkson were signed in free agency.

What they have not handled is the future of Mitchell Robinson.

Robinson has been a major factor in New York’s back-to-back playoff runs, but his health remains a constant concern. He has played only 48 games combined over the last two regular seasons.

According to James Edwards III of The Athletic, the Knicks could be open to a team-friendly extension. But if Robinson prefers to bet on himself, talks could get tricky. Edwards added that if Robinson stays healthy through the first half of the season, the Knicks might consider trading him instead of risking a free agency departure without return.

Meanwhile, the arrival of Brown is expected to bring more structure and faster pace. Jalen Brunson could be impacted the most. He held the ball longer than any player in the NBA last season at 6.06 seconds per touch. Tyrese Haliburton, for comparison, averaged 3.65.

The Knicks believe that getting Brunson to make quicker reads, especially when it comes to finding Karl-Anthony Towns on the perimeter, could add unpredictability to the offense.

Another player to watch is Miles McBride. Stefan Bondy of the New York Post wrote that McBride could take on more point-of-attack defensive duties, freeing Bridges to guard secondary scorers and keeping Brunson out of difficult matchups.

Of course, not everyone is sold on the Knicks’ new direction. Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said on the Club Shay Shay podcast that firing Tom Thibodeau after the team’s first conference finals appearance in 25 years “doesn’t make sense.” Lue added that Brown is walking into “a tough spot” given the expectations now in place.