Knicks get unfortunate update on Mitchell Robinson's availability

Mitchell Robinson last played for the New York Knicks on May 6 in a 121-117 win over the Indiana Pacers. It was then reported he had undergone surgery for a stress fracture in his left ankle on May 13. Robinson wasn't seen for the rest of the season. 

According to SNY's Ian Begley, Knicks fans will be waiting a while longer to see their 7-foot center back in the rotation. Begley reported that both the Knicks and Robinson's camp have been approaching his rehab cautiously, meaning New York is aiming for a return to the court between December and January.

"As far as Mitchell Robinson, he will not be ready for the start of the season, per SNY sources," Begley wrote. "The Knicks and Robinson don't want to rush the rehab process and is targeting a December/January return date, per sources. Robinson and the Knicks are being cautious and want to make sure he is 100 percent healthy before he gets back. New York is confident in the depth and versatility of the roster until Robinson returns."

Losing Robinson for the season's opening months will be a significant test for Tom Thibodeau's team, as it will already be without Isaiah Hartenstein, who joined the Oklahoma City Thunder earlier this summer. During a recent interview with Steve Aschburner of NBA.com, Thibodeau noted that he would be looking to his team to fill the void at the center as a "committee."

"When he [Mitchell] went out, Jericho Sims started initially, then he got hurt," Thibodeau said. "Then Isaiah came in and did what he did. But when he got hurt, Precious [Achiuwa] came in along with Taj Gibson. So we rotated guys at that position the entire year. We’ll probably have to do it by committee. We’ll look at some different things, because we have versatility — we could see Julius more at the 5. I don’t want to do that for long stretches, it would take its toll, but to have him do it for 10 or 15 minutes, I think he can do it well."

Robinson's presence in the center of the court is a big part of the Knicks' defensive strategy. His size and physicality are ideal for how Thibodeau wants his roster to execute on defense. However, it makes more sense to take time rehabbing the veteran big man rather than rushing him back and potentially losing him for the playoffs later in the season.

New York does have some other options at the center position, with Jericho Sims a candidate to get a significant bump in playing time to start the year. No matter what happens, it's fair to assume that Knicks fans will be counting down the days for Robinson to return, not because he is a genuine game-changer for the franchise, but because that will be the first time we get to see what this Knicks team can do if it's fully healthy.